BANCROFT 

LIBRARY 

•> 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


PAGES 

FROM    THE 

EARLY    HISTORY 

OF   THE 

WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST 


EMBRACING 


REMINISCENCES  AND  INCIDENTS  OF  SETTLEMENT  AND 

GROWTH,  AND  SKETCHES  OF  THE  MATERIAL 

AND  RELIGIOUS  PROGRESS 


STATES  OF  OHIO,  INDIANA,  ILLINOIS,  AND  MISSOURI, 

WITH 

ESPECIAL  REFERENCE  TO  THE  HISTORY  OP  METHODISM. 

BY 

REV.   S.   R.   BEGGS. 


CINCINNATI: 

PRINTED  AT  THE  METHODIST  BOOK  CONCERN. 

R.     P.     THOMPSON,     PRINTER. 

1868. 


134 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1868,  by 
S.   R.   BEGGS, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for 
the  Southern  District  of  Ohio. 


fe  7  3  H^ 

' 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.  PAGE. 

Autobiographical — Ancestry — Life  in  Southern  Indiana — Con- 
version       9 

CHAPTER  H. 

Early   Methodism   in    Indiana — Notable    Preachers — Confer- 
ences— Districts  and  Circuits 17 

CHAPTER  III. 

Compilations  from  Smith's  "Indiana  Miscellany" 31 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Same  continued — The  Pious  "Wife  and  Impenitent  Hus- 
band— Remarkable  Conversion 44 

CHAPTER  V. 

Received  into  Missouri  Conference — Remarkable  Experiences 
in  the  Primitive  Itinerancy 51 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Introduction  to  the  Illinois  Work — Minutes  of  the  First  Con- 
ference       59 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Pioneer  Experiences — Home  Again — Pleasant  Conference  Occa- 


67 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Quakers  and  Infidels  at  a  Methodist  Meeting — A  Primitive 
Baptism 75 


V  MAS  ^  I,-1    1   •!  0  r\  J  l'i/\!-     'I 

4  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IX.  PAGE. 

Marriage — Rough  Experiences  of  a  Young  Bride — Painful  and 
Perilous  Journeyings , 81 

CHAPTER  X 

Mission   "Work    in    Chicago,   1831-32— Terrors  of   an   Indian 

Raid— A  Home-Made  Fort 94 

CHAPTER  XL 

Privations  in  Chicago — Division  of  Illinois  Conference — Inci- 
dents of  Labor 103 

CHAPTER  XII. 

A  Clear  Conversion — Statistics  of  Desplaines  Mission — Rock 

River  Conference  formed 114 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

History  of  Peoria — A  Curious    Church-Building   Enterprise...  122 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Sketch  of  Rev.  Jesse  Walker — Interesting  Narrative  from  his 
own  Manuscript .' 131 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Statistics  of  Early  Methodism  in  the  Fox  River  Region — Au- 
rora and  Ottowa 143 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Early  Methodism  in  Middle  Illinois — Sangamon  County — First 
Settlement  of  Peoria 151 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Miscellaneous  Statistics— The  Plainfield  Work— How  Roberts 
became  Bishop 161 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Biographical  Episode — The  Author's  Work  and  Experiences 
on  the  Christian  Commission,  in  1864 169 


CONTENTS.  5 

CHAPTER  XIX.  PAGE. 

Chicago  Methodism— Great  Keligious  Struggle  and  Victory....  175 

CHAPTER  XX. 

The  First  Chicago  Churches— Canal-Street,  Clark-Street,  and 
Indiana-Street 182 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

The  Chicago  Indian  Massacre  of  1812— Mrs.  Kinzie's  Narrative  191 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
Mrs.  Kinzie's  Narrative  continued 200 

CHAPTER  XXIH. 

The  Author's  Observations  on  the  Indian  Character — Causes 
of  the  Sauk  War 213 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Indian  Anecdotes— How  Jesse  Walker  dealt  with  them 221 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Chicago — Origin  of  Name — Incidents  of  Early  Settlement — 
First  Methodist  Preaching .227 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Our  Publishing  Interests — The  Methodist  Book  Concerns  in 
New  York  and  Cincinnati 236 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

First  Baptist  Church  in  Plainfiekl— Methodism  in  Plainfield..  241 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
A  Sketch  of  Methodism  in  Lockport 249 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

History  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal — A  Great  Under- 
taking under  Great  Difficulties 260 


D  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXX.  PAGE. 

A  Sketch  of  the  Conversion  and  Ministry  of  Eev.  John  Hill — 
Extraordinary  Effects  of  his  Preaching 268 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Anecdotes  of  Bishops  Roberts  and  Soule — Singular  Incident — 
Sketches  of  Western  Methodism 274 

CHAPTER  XXXH. 

"Western.  Methodism — James    B.   Finley  —  Nolley  —  Bangs  — 
M'Kendree 293 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Administration  of  Discipline — Rev.  John  Sinclair 301 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
First  Session  of  Rock  River  Conference 311 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

The  Prairie  State— Its  Beauty,  Resources,  Population,  and 
Destiny 317 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

St.  Louis  in  the  Olden  Time — Its  First  Newspaper — Progress 
of  Methodism  in  Illinois ,  ..  321 


INTRODUCTION. 


BY  T.  M.  EDDY,  D.  D. 


YEARS  ago,  when  the  writer  first  came  to  the  North- West, 
among  his  earliest  and  most  hearty  greetings  was  one  from 
Stephen  B.  Beggs.  We  found  so  pleasant  a  spirit,  so  happy  a 
disposition!,  so  cheerful  a  retrospect  that  we  sought  further 
acquaintance.  His  experience  ran  back  into  pioneer  days, 
swept  along  the  rough  places,  and  wound  among  the  bridle- 
paths of  frontier  settlements.  So  interesting  were  his  reminis- 
cences that,  at  our  request,  he  wrote  a  portion  of  them,  which 
appeared  in  successive  numbers  of  the  North-Western  Christian 
Advocate.  Artless,  natural,  just,  ihey  attracted  favorable  atten- 
tion, and  called  out  an  expression  favorable  to  publication  in  a 
more  extended  and  permanent  form. 

The  thought  of  a  book  came  to  him  as  an  amazement.  He, 
Stephen  R.  Beggs,  become  the  author  of  a  duodecimo  volume ! 
He  had  never  thought  of  entering  into  history,  much  less  writ- 
ing it.  When  he  made  his  way  from  one  appointment  to  another 
by  blazed  trees,  and  stood  up  on  a  puncheon  floor  and  preached 
in  the  dim  glare  of  one  or  two  tallow  candles,  kept  alight  by  the 
snuffing  of  backwoods  fingers,  he  would  have  laughed  outright 
at  the  prediction  that  he  should  ever  make  a  book  to  be  read  by 
the  light  streaming  into  richly  carpeted  parlors  from  patent 
gas-burners. 

Yet  why  not?  These  early  Methodist  pioneers  have  led  an 
eventful  life,  and  its  record  is  almost  as  marvelous  as  any  thing 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

in  the  annals  of  chivalry,  and  possesses  the  glitter  of  romance 
They  have  a  knowledge  of  persons,  places,  and  events  essential 
to  a  perfect  history  of  our  Church  in  the  West,  and,  unless  writ- 
ten, it  dies  with  them.  Written,  and  not  printed,  it  will  be  of  no 
service  to  the  future  historian.  A  few  years  ago  autobiographic 
literature  was  overdone,  and  yet  the  poorest,  stalest,  and  least 
enduring  had  its  value,  and  from  such  ephemeral  annals  will 
history  be  enriched. 

The  author  was  at  the  laying  of  foundations  in  the  North- 
West,  both  political  and  ecclesiastical.  He  was  in  Chicago  ere 
it  was  Chicago.  He  rocked  the  cradle  of  young  Methodism 
here,  but,  musical  as  he  is,  would  never  sing  to  it  a  lullaby.  He 
has  told  the  story  as  he  knew  it,  and  as  other  careful  observers 
have  recited  it.  He  was  here  among  the  Indian  troubles  when 
Black  Hawk  was  devastating  the  country,  and  that,  too,  is  told. 
He  has  labored  in  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Missouri  when 
there  was  more  hard  work  than  pecuniary  compensation. 

With  his  own  experience  he  has  connected  anecdotes,  sketches, 
stray  waifs  of  biography,  and  incidents  in  danger  of  being  lost. 

He  sends  it  forth,  especially  commending  it  to  his  old  friends, 
the  associates,  lay  and  cleric,  of  earlier  days.  There  are  many 
yet  living,  for  of  tough  stock  and  hardy  fiber  were  those  pioneer 
folks.  They  will  read,  and  "remember  the  days  of  former  times." 
We  commend  it  to  younger  readers.  It  is  well  to  see,  amid  our 
present,  what  was  the  character  of  our  near  past.  Those  days 
can  never  come  again;  changes  of  population  and  society  make 
them  impossible.  The  scream  of  the  locomotive  has  scared  the 
saddle-bags  out  of  sight,  and  almost  out  of  existence.  New 
duties,  new  conflicts,  new  responsibilities  are  upon  us.  But  let 
us  keep  in  sympathy  with  the  heroic  aggressions,  the  chivalrous 
spirit,  the  daring  and  doing  which  made  "the  paths  straight"  for 
our  present.  For  this  there  is  nothing  like  the  facts  as  they  were, 
and  some  of  them  the  author  has  told. 

OFFICE  NOBTH-WESTEBN  CHEISTIAN  ADVOCATE,  ) 
Chicago,  April  25,  1868.     J 


PAGES 


FROM   THE 


storj  of  %  W&tt&  anb 


CHAPTER   I. 

MY  great-grandfathers  were  born;  the  one,  James 
Beggs,  in  Ireland;  the  other,  Charles  Barns,  in 
America,  of  English  extraction.  One  of  my  great- 
grandmothers  was  born  in  Ireland,  the  other  in  En- 
gland; the  maiden  name  of  one  being  Hardy,  of 
the  other,  M'Dow.  My  grandfather,  Thomas  Beggs, 
was  a  native  of  ISTew  Jersey,  where  he  married 
Sarah  Barnes,  and  afterward  emigrated  to  Virginia. 
He  lived  in  Buckingham  county,  till  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  He  joined  the  pa- 
triot army,  and  became  an  officer  in  the  commissary 
department,  and  died  of  camp  fever  in  1779  or  1780. 
He  had  four  sons  and  one  daughter.  His  three  oldest 
sons  had  large  families — that  of  John  consisting  of 
one  son,  James,  and  eight  daughters.  James  had 
four  sons — Charles,  John,  Stephen,  and  Thomas. 
John  married  Hannah  Barnes;  James  married  Mary 
Custer;  and  Charles  married  Dorothy  Trumbow. 


10  EAELY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

All  settled  at  an  early  day  in  Clark  county,  Indiana 
John  -Beggs  was  Judge  of  the  Court;  James  was 
State  Senator  for  nine  years,  joining  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  1791;  Charles  was  a  member 
of  the  Legislature  for  several  years,  and  served  as 
Captain  of  a  light-horse  company  in  the  Indian  War, 
participating  in  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe.  He  moved 
to  Illinois  in  1829.  He  still  lives,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-two ;  and  during  the  Eebellion  was  as 
bitter  against  the  "  Tories,"  as  he  termed  the  rebels, 
as  his  family  had  been  in  76.  My  father  and  moth- 
er, James  Beggs  and  Mary  Custer,  were  members 
of  the  Methodist  Church  from  1791  to  the  day  of 
their  death,  a  period  of  three-fourths  of  a  century  ; 
and  if  I  am  an  ultra  Methodist,  I  came  honestly 
by  it. 

I  was  born  in  Kockingham  county,  Virginia,  March 
30,  1801.  When  I  was  four  years  old,  my  father 
moved  West,  stopping  about  two  years  in  Kentucky ; 
and  then  settling  in  Clark  county,  Indiana,  on  the 
Ohio  Hiver,  about  seventeen  miles  above  the  falls  at 
Louisville,  where  my  father  passed  the  rest  of  his 
life.  My  father  had  scarcely  cleared  off  a  small 
piece  of  ground — he  had  bought  a  heavily  timbered 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres — and  erected 
a  log  cabin,  when  the  whole  family,  father,  mother, 
and  five  children,  myself  excepted,  were  taken  sick 
with  chills  and  fever.  In  the  absence  of  a  physician, 
a  brother  Methodist  administered  the  novel  remedy, 
calomel;  and  we  all  soon  became  convalescent. 


WEST   AND   NOBTH-WEST.  11 

Father,  however,  attempted  work  too  soon,  and  one 
d'amp  day  took  a  cold,  which  resulted  in  an  attack 
of  rheumatism  that  kept  him  laid  up  for  nine  years, 
unable  to  do  a  day's  work.  This  was  a  sore  afflic- 
tion to  us  all,  especially  to  mother,  upon  whom  it 
imposed  heavy  responsibilities.  These  misfortunes 
induced  -father  to  exchange  his  large  farm  for  a 
smaller  one,  with  some  improvements.  My  elder 
brothers  held  the  plow,  and  I  drove  or  rode  the 
team;  and  we  thus  managed  to  raise  grain  enough 
for  the  supply  of  the  family  and  the  stock  through 
the  first  Winter.  Subsequently,  father  was  elected 
to  the  Legislature,  finally  serving  as  a  Senator  more 
than  ten  years,  greatly  to  the  comfort  of  his  family. 
He  was  a  great  stickler  for  grammar,  receiving  the 
name  of  "  Mr.  Syntax,"  by  which  he  was  known 
for  years. 

Among  other  deprivations  consequent  on  the  new- 
ness of  the  country,  was  that  of  shoes.  I  was  seven 
years  old  before  I  ever  rejoiced  in  the  possession  of 
a  pair.  Little  did  my  parents  or  I  myself  see,  in 
this  pioneer  life  of  the  boy,  God's  hardening  process, 
preparatory  for  the  hardships  of  the  uncultivated 
fields  of  his  vineyard. 

During  our  youth  we  enjoyed  all  the  manly  out- 
door sports,  such  as  hunting,  wrestling,  jumping, 
ball-playing,  etc. ;  but  swearing,  lying,  and  dancing 
were  eschewed  and  detested.  As  for  dancing,  I  felt 
something  as  Daniel  Webster  expressed  it,  who  said 
he  never  had  sense  enough  to  learn.  It  really 


12  EARLY   HISTORY  OF   THE 

seemed  such  hard  work,  that  I  had  a  fellow-feeling 
with  the  heathen,  who,  seeing  how  hard  people 
exerted  themselves  in  that  "  amusement,"  wondered 
why  they  did  not  make  their  servants  dance  as  well 
as  do  the  rest  of  their  drudgery. 

My  father,  though  not  a  very  large  man,  was 
very  athletic.  I  had  the  reputation  of  being  the 
strongest  man  in  Clark  county.  John  Strange,  one 
day,  saw  me  walking  at  a  short  distance;  and  stop- 
ping in  amazement  at  my  apparent  strength,  said 
that  if  I  could  only  get  my  feet  properly  set,  I  could 
rock  the  earth.  I  was  just  six  feet  in  hight,  and 
weighed  from  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  to  one 
hundred  and  ninety-nine  pounds.  I  have  passed  a 
generally  healthy  life;  and  now,  1868,  my  health  is 
good,  my  lungs  sound,  and  I  am  free  from  dyspepsia, 
or  other  chronic  ailment. 

What  little  schooling  we  got  was  in  the  Winter, 
in  a  school-house,  which  it  may  be  worth  while  to 
describe :  built  of  round  logs ;  the  window,  a  rude 
opening  filled  with  white  paper,  greased  with  lard 
to  admit  the  light;  the  benches  made  of  " slabs" 
split  from  logs,  and  so  high  that  the  smaller  chil- 
dren's feet  could  not  touch  the  ground,  that  being  all 
the  floor  we  had;  one  entire  end  of  the  structure 
being  used  for  a  fireplace,  the  chimney  built  of  split 
sticks,  plastered  over  with  mortar.  With  the  im- 
provement of  the  country,  our  advantages  became 
greater.  The  old  Dillworth  spelling-book  used  to 
cost  one  dollar,  equal  to  four  dollars  of  our  money. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  13 

From  early  youth  I  had  a  desire  to  become  a 
preacher.  This  I  manifested  in  conducting  meetings 
in  innocent  play  among  the  children,  or  alone  in  the 
deep  forest,  going  through  with  the  regular  order 
of  exercises.  I  learned  to  think  that  if  a  man  could 
read,  and  write,  and  sing,  and  pray,  he  had  about 
all  the  qualifications  needed  for  the  itinerant  work. 
When  I  was  about  twelve  years  of  age,  the  Indian 
troubles  began  in  Scott  and  Clark  counties.  My 
fears  I  can  vividly  recall.  I  expected  the  savages 
would  kill  me;  felt  that  I  was  not  prepared  to  die, 
and  would  have  made  any  sacrifice,  could  I  have  felt 
that  I  was  not  an  accountable  being. 

When  the  news  came  of  the  "  Pigeon- Eoost  mas- 
sacre," nearly  all  the  settlers  north  of  us  fled  across 
the  Ohio,  leaving  their  effects  behind.  Eeturning, 
they  built  a  fortification  around  my  father's  house, 
which  was  of  stone.  Here  they  remained  for  days, 
in  constant  expectation  of  the  Indians.  Several 
block-houses  were  built  to  the  north  of  us,  the  occu- 
pants of  which  would  flee  to  our  fort  on  every  fresh 
alarm.  The  "  Pigeon-Roost  massacre,"  of  which  I 
spoke,  occurred  at  a  settlement  of  that  name,  formed 
in  1809,  and  which,  confined  to  a  square  mile  of  land, 
was  five  or  six  miles  distant  from  neighboring 
settlements. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  third  of  September,  1812, 
Jeremiah  Payne  and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Kauff- 
mann,  were  surprised  and  killed  by  a  party  of  Indi- 
ans while  at  work  in  the  woods,  about  two  miles 


14  EAELY   HISTOEY   OF  THE 

from  the  settlement.  The  Indians  then — Shawnees, 
ten  or  twelve  in  .number — attacked  the  settlement 
about  sunset,  and  murdered  one  man,  five  women, 
and  sixteen  children.  The  bodies  of  some  of  the 
victims  were  burned  in  the  cabins  where  they  were 
slaughtered.  Mrs.  John  Biggs  alone  escaped  with 
her  three  small  children,  reaching  a  settlement  six 
miles  distant  near  daylight. 

A  number  of  the  militia  of  Clark  county  proceeded 
to  the  scene  of  the  massacre,  where  they  found  only 
the  mangled  and  half-consumed  bodies  of  the  dead, 
and  the  ruins  of  the  houses;  and  the  remains  were 
all  buried  in  one  grave. 

From  a  child  I  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  relig- 
ious education,  and  was  taught  at  school,  as  well  as 
at  home,  to  read  the  Bible.  I  formed  the  habit  of 
prayer  very  young,  and  continued  it  regularly  till 
my  conversion  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  my  age. 
At  that  time  I  visited  a  camp  meeting  at  Jacobs' 
camp-grounds,  seven  miles  above  Louisville,  which 
begfan  October  6th.  On  Sabbath  afternoon,  after  a 
powerful  sermon  by  Rev.  James  Ward,  of  the  Ken- 
tucky Conference,  I  took  my  place  at  the  altar, 
among  seekers  of  religion.  The  deliverance,  on 
which  I  had  fixed  my  determination,  did  not  come 
till  sunset.  I  can  never  forget  those  first  bright 
joys  of  pardoned  sin,  nor  cease  recalling,  when  I 
think  of  that  blessed  hour,  the  shouts  of  joy  that 
arose  like  the  "sounds  of  many  waters,!'  "Glory  to 
God  in  the  highest!"  multiplied,  as  they  were,  by 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  15 

scores,  till  two  hundred  were  converted.  Among 
these  seven  of  us  were  licensed  to  preach,  the  most 
of  whom  entered  the  itinerant  work. 

Soon  after  my  probation  expired  I  was  appointed 
assistant  class-leader.  It  was  a  heavy  cross  to  ad- 
dress in  reproof  and  exhortation,  as  well  as  comfort, 
the  old  alike  with  the  young ;  yet  I  found,  as  I  have 
ever  found,  His  grace  sufficient  for  me.  I  was  soon 
afterward  licensed  to  exhort,  by  Eev.  Samuel  Grlaze. 
Blessed  in  these  labors,.  I  was  speedily  licensed  to 
preach.  I  had  long  felt  this  necessity  laid  upon 
me,  though  I  shrank  from  the  great  duty ;  but  the 
resolution  once  formed,  and  the  step  taken,  I  felt 
wonderfully  blest.  This  occurred  at  the  local  con- 
ference at  a  quarterly  camp  meeting  near  Salem, 
Indiana. 

I  resolved  that  after  two  years'  schooling,  I  would 
offer  myself  to  the  Annual  Conference  as  a  pro- 
bationer. Rev.  James  Armstrong,  who  succeeded 
Rev.  C.  Ruter — under  whose  untiring  labors  six 
hundred  had  been  added  to  the  Church  on  the  cir- 
cuit— insisted  that  I  should  at  once  receive  a  recom- 
mendation to  the  next  Annual  Conference,  which  was 
to  be  held  at  St.  Louis  that  Fall.  He  held  that  I 
could  better  receive  my  education  and  graduate  in 
the  "  Brush  College,"  as  most  of  our  preachers  had 
done.  After  much  anxious  and  prayerful  reflection, 
I  finally  said:  "  Here  am  I."  My  recommendation 
was  presented,  and  I  was  received;  and  glad  am  I 
to  this  day  that  I  began  when  I  did  and  as  I  did. 


16  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

This  one  lesson  I  learned :  to  look  to  the  Lord, 
whence  cometh  our  help.  I  know  that  I  have  thus 
formed  a  habit  of  trust  stronger  than  I  should  have 
done,  had  I  waited  to  receive  a  liberal  education. 
Yet  I  realize  what  a  blessing  and  what  a  power  a 
sanctified  education  is. 

The  great  revival  above  mentioned  was  attended 
with  many  extraordinary  physical  manifestations, 
in  which  both  the  converted  and  the  unconverted 
were  alike  exercised.  Some  laughed  so  excessively 
and  so  long  that  it  seemed  as  though  they  would 
literally  "die  laughing."  .Bending  backward  as  far 
as  they  could,  they  would  laugh  at  the  top  of  their 
voice,  then  bending  forward  almost  to  the  ground, 
they  would  continue  till  they  well-nigh  lost  breath, 
then  straightening  up  and  catching  breath,  they 
would  renew  their  convulsive  laughter,  repeating  the 
same  phenomena  for  an  hour  or  more,  till  completely 
exhausted  they  would  fall  down  in  a  swoon.  The 
" jerks"  were  also  very  common  in  the  prayer  meet- 
ings, particularly  among  the  women.  Sometimes 
three  or  four  were  affected  at  once,  being  thrown 
flat  on  the  floor,  and  when  forced  to  their  feet  by  a 
couple  of  strong  men,  "jerked"  irresistibly  back 
and  forth.  Often  have  I  seen  a  frail  woman  surpass 
the  utmost  strength  of  two  strong  men. 

Elder  Hamilton  was  preaching  on  one  occasion 
when  several  became  affected  in  this  way.  It  pre- 
vented his  going  on  with  his  discourse,  as  he  thought 
it  all  assumed,  or  at  least  a  thing  which  could  be 


WEST   AND   NORTH-WEST.  17 

controlled.  That  very  night,  however,  after  retiring, 
he  was  himself  seized  with  the  "  jerks."  On  finding 
them  to  be  a  reality,  he  fervently  prayed  the  good 
Lord  to  deliver  him  from  what  he  considered  an 
affliction,  promising  that  if  similar  occurrences  took 
place  again  at  his  meetings,  he  would  make  the  best 
of  it.  They  were  so  prevalent  in  places,  in  these 
early  days,  that  Peter  Cartwright  said  that  he  had 
heard  of  the  dogs  and  hogs  having  them;  a  fact  to 
which  brother  John  Stewart  bears  the  testimony  of 
personal  observation. 

Brother  Cartwright  tells  of  one  man  whose  neck 
was  actually  broken  while  thus  exercised.  The 
falling  " exercise"  was  also  very  common;  those 
affected  by  it  lying  apparently  lifeless  for  hours. 
The  subjects  returned  to  consciousness  with  a  bound, 
and  generally  with  a  shout  of  "  Glory  to  God  /" 
President  Edwards,  for  his  personal  satisfaction,  ex- 
amined carefully  into  these  phenomena,  and  gave  it 
as  his  deliberate  conviction,  that  these  " foxfire"  and 
"wildfire"  conversions,  as  they  were  termed,  were 
often  among  the  most  powerful  and  lasting  that  he 
had  ever  witnessed. 

2 


18  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 


CHAPTER  II. 

As  early  as  1802  Methodists  ventured  within  the 
present  limits  of  Indiana,  among  its  few  scattered 
settlers.  The  first  was  Nathan  Robertson,  who 
moved  from  Kentucky  to  Charlestown,  Clark  county, 
in  1779.  Three  years  later  a  small  class  was  organ- 
ized near  Charlestown.  This  class  built  the  first 
chapel  in  the  State,  on  David  Roland's  land.  This 
was  afterward  burned  down,  and  another  erected  a 
mile  farther  north,  called  Grassaway,  or  Salem  meet- 
ing-house. It  was  made  of  hewed  logs,  and  still 
stands  in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  though  not 
used  for  worship.  In  the  old  church-yard  in  which 
it  stands,  lie  the  remains  of  my  revered  father  and 
mother,  of  two  brothers  and  a  sister,  all  members 
of  the  Methodist  Church.  Within  the  walls  of  this 
church  I  was  faithfully  warned  to  flee  from  the 
wrath  to  come,  and  pointed  to  the  Lamb  of  God, 
who  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  by  some  of 
the  best  men  the  Church  has  ever  produced.  The 
class  was  very  strong  in  faith  and  in  numbers,  em- 
bracing a  hundred  members  at  the  close  of  Calvin 
Eater's  Conference  year,  1820. 

Wm.  Cravens  made  a  practice  of  meeting  the  class 
at  his  appointments,  where  he  would  examine  each 
member,  asking  them  if  they  drank  strong  drink. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  19 

All  who  confessed  to  doing  so  and  who  would  not 
promise  total  abstinence,  he  would  direct  to  sit  on  a 
separate  bench.  At  the  close  of  the  class  meeting 
he  would  have  a  prayer  meeting  in  their  behalf. 
If  no  reformation  followed  these  efforts,  he  had  them 
tried  promptly  and  turned  out  of  the  Church.  He 
was  a  very  large  man  and  of  great  strength.  His 
sermons  were  original  and  powerful.  His  eccentric- 
ity was  proverbial.  In  one  of  his  sermons  before 
election  he  said  he  would  as  soon  vote  for  a  horse- 
thief  as  a  dram-drinker  or  whisky  distiller. 

On  one  occasion,  in  calling  for  mourners,  he  set 
out  three  benches,  one  for  seekers  of  religion,  one 
for  backsliders,  and  the  other  for  hypocrites,  and 
they  all  had  occupants.  On  the  hypocrite  bench 
was  a  man  who  had  two  wives.  Cravens  was  soon 
by  his  side,  and  said :  "I  understand  that  you  have 
two  wives;  are  you  determined  now  to  forsake  this 
woman  and  go  and  live  with  your  lawful  wife?" 
The  man  replied  "no."  "Be  off,  then,"  said  Cra- 
vens; "you  can't  get  religion  here!"  He  could 
strike  as  hard  in  a  few  words  as  any  man  I  ever 
heard. 

Once  he  was  preaching  at  a  camp  meeting. 
Among  the  preachers  on  the  platform  were  a  slave- 
owner and  a  lawyer.  Speaking  of  the  qualifications 
of  the  ministry,  he  said  he  "would  as  soon  hear  a 
negro  play  a  banjo,  or  a  raccoon  squeal,  as  to  hear 
a  negro-holder  or  a  petty  lawyer  preach;"  then 
turning  abruptly  to  the  two  men  he  exclaimed, 


20  EARLY    HISTORY   OF 'THE 

"How  dare  you  lay  your  bloody  hands  on  this 
Sacred  Book !"  He  termed  all  instruments  of  music 
introduced  into  churches  wooden  gods.  Eev.  Mr. 
Fillmore  once  preached  where  brother  Abbot  led 
the  singing  in  a  choir  in  which  they  had  instru- 
mental music.  After  the  service  he  asked  brother 
Abbot  how  he  liked  the  music,  whose  only  reply 
was,  "  Your  wooden  brother  did  very  well  to-day." 
A  bass-viol  being  once  introduced  into  a  choir  when 
Cartwright  preached,  he  announced  the  hymn  with 
the  invitation,  "We  will  fiddle  to  the  Lord,  my 
brethren."  Brother  A.  E.  Phelps  told  me  the  fol- 
lowing story  of  the  manner  in  which  Kev.  J.  Gruber 
once  disposed  of  a  choir  difficulty :  there  being  a 
division  in  the  choir,  he  wished  to  have  the  whole 
matter  turned  over  to  him.  When  the  choir  began 
to  sing  he  began  to  roar  on  a  shell  which  he  had 
procured.  This,  of  course,  put  a  stop  to  the  sing- 
ing. On  the  choir  starting  again  at  his  request,  he 
began  to  blow  again,  exclaiming,  "  I  can 't  sing, 
but  I  am  a  roarer  on  this  shell !" 

To  Joseph  Williams  belongs  the  honor  of  being 
the  first  itinerant  preacher  appointed  to  a  circuit  in 
Indiana.  In  1809  the  Indiana  district  was  formed, 
embracing  the  entire  area  of  the  territories  of  Indi- 
ana, Illinois,  and  Missouri.  Samuel  Parker  was  the 
first  presiding  elder.  In  this  year  Silver  Creek  cir- 
cuit was  formed.  It  embraced  all  the  settlements 
in  the  southern  part  of  Indiana,  reaching  up  the 
Ohio  River  to  Whitewater  circuit.  Josiah  Crawford 


WEST  AND  NOBTH-WEST.  21 

had  charge  of  it;  returning  a  membership  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty-eight.  In  1810  Silver  Creek  was 
a  part  of  Green  River  district,  "Wm.  Burke  presiding 
elder,  and  Sela  Paine  preacher  in  charge.  This 
district  embraced,  besides  Silver  Creek,  the  following 
circuits:  Green  Eiver,  Barren,  Wayne,  Cumberland, 
Danville,  Salt  Eiver,  and  Shelby.  The  Indiana  dis- 
trict was  composed  of  Illinois,  Missouri,  Maramack, 
Coldwater,  Cape  Girardeau,  and  Vincennes  circuits, 
Samuel  Parker  presiding  elder.  At  the  close  of  this 
year,  1810,  Silver  Creek  returned  four  hundred  and 
forty-eight  members.  In  1811  Wm.  Burke  was 
presiding  elder  on  Green  Eiver  district,  and  Isaac 
Lindsey  had  charge  of  Silver  Creek  circuit.  The 
number  of  members  returned  was  397.  The  total 
number  returned  from  Indiana  was  1,160.  In  1812 
two  additional  circuits  were  formed  in  Indiana, 
Lawrenceburg  and  Patoka.  Silver  Creek  was  this 
year  connected,  under  the  charge  of  Wm.  M'Mahon, 
with  Salt  Eiver  district,  James  Ward  presiding  elder. 
In  1816  the  Western  Conference  was  divided  into 
the  Ohio  and  Tennessee  Conferences.  The  Indiana 
circuits  were  assigned  to  two  different  Conferen- 
ces; Whitewater  and  Lawrenceburg  in  the  Miami 
district,  and  Silver  Creek  in  Salt  Eiver  district, 
being  within  the  bounds  of  the  Ohio  Conference. 
The  total  membership  in  the  State  was  2,176— all 
gathered  in  within  five  years.  In  1814  Charles 
Harrison  was  appointed  to  Silver  Creek,  Jesse 
Walker  presiding  elder.  The  number  of  members 


22  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

reported  in  Indiana  was  1,759.  In  1815, 1,504  were 
returned,  the  decrease  being  due  to  the  War. 
Shadrach  Euark  was  preacher  in  charge  on  Silver 
Creek  circuit,  Charles  Holliday  presiding  elder.  In 
1816  Joseph  Kinkaid  went  to  Silver  Creek.  This 
year  Blue  River  was  detached  from  Silver  Creek 
circuit,  under  the  charge  of  John  Shrader.  It  ex- 
tended down  the  Ohio  and  out  to  the  head  waters 
of  the  Patoka.  There  were  now  six  circuits  in  Indi- 
ana, with  a  membership  of  1,877.  In  1817  Joseph 
Pownal  was  sent  to  Silver  Creek,  and  John  Cord  to 
Blue  River,  Samuel  H.  Thompson  presiding  elder. 

This  year  there  were  six  circuits  in  Indiana,  with 
a  membership  of  1,907.  In  1818  John  Cord  was 
sent  to  Silver  Creek.  A  new  circuit,  Little  Pigeon, 
was  established;  seven  in  all,  with  nine  preachers 
and  3,044  members.  I  have  been  thus  particular 
about  the  introduction  of  Methodism  into  Indiana, 
of  the  districts  of  that  Conference,  and  especially  of 
Silver  Creek  circuit,  because  it  was  there  that  I 
passed  so  much  of  my  early  life  and  entered  upon 
the  work  of  the  ministry.  Brother  Wm.  C.  Smith 
thinks  that  the  first  Indiana  meeting-house  was 
erected  in  1808. 

It  was  in  this  year  that  the  first  circuit — White- 
water— was  formed.  I  think  the  claim  to  precedence 
lies  between  the  Meek's  Church,  as  it  was  termed, 
and  the  Robertson  meeting-house,  three  miles  north 
of  Charlestown,  Clark  county.  There  was  also  one 
built  at  an  early  day  near  my  father's.  The  date 


WEST   AND   NORTH-WEST.  23 

I  can  not  give.  It  was  the  first  that  I  recollect 
attending.  Thomas  Allen  and  James  Garner  were 
the  preachers.  I  told  a  playmate  that  I  liked  the 
former  the  best,  because  he  did  not  swear  so  much 
as  old  brother  Garner.  That  building  was  subse- 
quently burned,  and  afterward  the  old  Salem  meet- 
ing-house was  erected  one  mile  further  north. 

Since  the  first  rude  log  cabin  meeting-house  was 
erected  in  Indiana,  the  work  of  church-building  has 
gone  on,  till  the  number  reaches  about  1,300 ;  many 
of  them  magnificent  buildings,  costing  from  thirty  to 
seventy  thousand  dollars.  What  has  God  wrought 
through  this  "pioneer"  Methodist  Episcopal  Church ! 
Win.  C.  Smith  thinks  the  first  camp  meeting  in  In- 
diana was  held  in  Wayne  county.  I  think  that 
about  the  same  time  we  held  one  on  the  Kobinson 
camp-ground,  Clark  county. 

Brother  Smith,  in  his  sketch  of  Miami  district, 
says  that  T.  Nelson  and  S.  H.  Thompson,  who 
preached  on  Whitewater  circuit  in  1810,  then  went 
to  Kentucky — Nollechuckie  circuit — and  neither  of 
them  ever  returned  to  Indiana  to  labor.  S.  H. 
Thompson  was  on  the  Illinois  district  in  1817,  and 
I  recollect  distinctly  his  sermon  at  our  quarterly 
meeting  at  old  Salem  meeting-house,  Clark  county. 
His  powerful  sermon  and  his  fresh,  manly  look,  all 
left  an  ineffaceable  impression  on  my  mind.  I 
thought  him  one  of  the  handsomest  men  I  had 
ever  seen.  He  was  so  good  a  hand  at  soliciting  aid 
for  our  Church  charities,  that  he  bore  the  name  of 


24  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

"beggar- general."  His  strong  appeals  were  almost 
resistless.  On  one  occasion  lie  closed  his  appeal  by 
telling  the  people  to  come  forward  and  lay  their 
offerings  on  the  table.  Among  those  who  responded 
was  a  gentleman  who  put  his  hand  deep  into  his 
pocket  and  took  out  a  handful  of  silver  to  get  some 
change.  Thompson  saw  him,  and,  as  if  supposing 
that  he  intended  to  lay  all  upon  the  table,  exclaimed 
at  the  top  of  his  voice,  "  Thank  God  for  one  liberal 
soul !"  By  this  time  all  eyes  were  fixed  on  the 
" liberal"  gentleman,  who  could  not  help  laying  down 
the  entire  handful.  But  Thompson  illustrated  his 
precept  in  this  respect  by  example.  He  generally 
headed  the  contribution;  and  so  generous  was  he  in 
his  offerings,  that  he  not  infrequently  had  to  borrow 
money  to  get  home  with.  Indeed,  he  was  hardly  an 
exception.  The  liberality  of  the  Methodist  preach- 
ers was  remarkable;  giving  beyond  their  means, 
they  yet  realized  that  it  was  more  blessed  to  give 
than  to  receive. 

In  this  connection,  I  may  appropriately  introduce 
some  account  of  the  early  history  of  Methodism  in 
Northern  Indiana,  with  sketches  of  a  few  of  the 
prominent  preachers.  Among  the  many  whom  I 
heard  preach,  were  brothers  A.  Joslin,  James  Con- 
well,  A.  Wood,  James  Havens,  John  Morrow,  J. 
Strange,  A.  Wiley,  J.  L.  Thompson,  Calvin  Enter, 
James  Armstrong,  George  Hester,  and  Eichard  Har- 
grave.  Wiley  was  a  superb  preacher;  beginning 
slowly,  and  deliberately,  and  cautiously,  but  surely 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  25 

making  his  way  to  the  hearts  of  his  congregation, 
till  his  deep  feelings  seemed  to  take  ^charge  of  his 
tongue,  and  his  whole  soul  would  be  poured  out  with 
his  words.  His  appeals,  always  affecting,  were  some- 
times overwhelming. 

James  Havens,  as  the  Hon.  0.  H.  Smith  describes 
him,  may  be  justly  termed  the  Napoleon  of  Method- 
ism in  Eastern  Indiana.  He  was  hard  to  handle, 
physically,  as  well  as  intellectually;  his  strength  of 
muscle  being  equal  to  his  mental  powers.  At  one 
of  the  Connersville  circuit  camp  meetings,  I  once 
saw  him,  just  as  Strange  was  beginning  his  Sabbath 
morning  sermon,  take  hold  of  a  ruffian  who  was 
making  a  disturbance  at  the  altar.  He  threw  him 
literally  "  heels  over  head,"  giving  him  a  tremendous 
fall,  then  holding  him  so  fast  as  almost  to  strangle 
him;  having  fairly  subdued  him,  he  took  the  hum- 
bled rowdy  to  head-quarters  for  trial.  Strange 
preached  a  most  powerful  sermon,  resulting  in  the 
conversion  of  many  souls.  0.  H.  Smith  regards 
Strange  as  one  of  the  most  effective  preachers  he 
ever  heard.  He  does  not  hesitate  to  say  that  Indi- 
ana owes  him  a  special  debt  of  gratitude  for  his 
efforts  through  a  long,  laborious  life,  to  form  her 
new  society  on  the  enduring  basis  of  morality  and 
education. 

A.  Wood,  D.  D.,  and  myself,  were  both  young 
men  when  we  became  acquainted.  He  bid  fair,  at 
an  early  age,  to  become  a  useful  man.  He  had  a 

sound  mind,  a  most  felicitous  elocution,  and  a  zeal 

3 


26  EAELY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

without  bound.  He  preached  always  with  all  his 
power,  frequently  becoming  so  exhausted  as  to  fall 
helpless  into  the  arms  of  those  near  him.  He  still 
enjoys  the  best  of  health  in  his  green  old  age. 

The  following  sketches  from  his  pen  will  give 
value  to  this  book,  written  in  reply  to  a  request 
to  furnish  some  recollections  of  the  early  Methodist 
societies  in  Laporte  county,  Indiana.  He  prefaces 
his  personal  sketches  with  some  valuable  statistics 
of  the  early  Conferences: 

"  Previous  to  the  year  A.  D.  1832,  all  the  settle- 
ments of  Northern  Indiana  were  visited  by  mission- 
aries from  Michigan,  which  was  then  in  what  was 
called  the  '  North  Ohio  Conference.' 

"  Erastus  Felton,  in  1830,  and  L.  B.  Gurley,  in 
1831,  preached  in  Laporte  county.  But  in  1832 
there  was  made  an  '  Indiana  Conference/  and  James 
Armstrong  was  appointed  missionary.  He  moved 
to  the  county  and  settled  on  a  farm  near  Door  Vil- 
lage. James  Armstrong  was  the  evangelist  of  our 
Church  in  this  county,  influencing  many  Church 
members  to  move  to  it  from  older  parts  of  the  State; 
and  remaining  in  the  county  as  an  enterprising 
missionary  till  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the 
12th  of  September,  1834. 

"  N.  B.  Griffith  came  to  the  county  about  the  same 
time,  but  he  settled  in  St.  Joseph,  where  he  also 
died  in  1834.  The  first  societies  in  both  these  coun- 
ties were  organized  by  these  men.  It  may  be  in 
place  for  me  to  give  some  pen-portraits  of  them. 


WEST   AND   NORTH- WEST.  27 

"Armstrong  was  of  medium  bight,  and  weight. 
His  chin,  lips,  and  nose  sharp,  eyes  small,  eyebrows 
heavy,  forehead  square  and  high,  and  hair  thick  set 
and  dark.  He  was  always  neatly  dressed  in  plain 
black.  He  had  a  good  voice,  with  a  free  use  of 
plain,  English  words  of  Saxon  origin ;  nothing  of  the 
Irish  brogue,  but  much  of  the  fire,  which,  as  he  felt 
himself,  he  failed  not  to  impart  to  others  who  gave 
him  audience,  till  the  bond  became  so  strong  be- 
tween the  speaker  and  hearer,  that  both  were  carried 
along  with  the  force  and  beauty  of  the  subject  before 
them.  He  was  what  we  called  a  •  topic  preacher ;' 
and  before  a  promiscuous  congregation,  his  memory, 
his  imagination,  and  tact  enabled  him  to  conduct  a 
controversy  with  great  ingenuity  for  success  to  any 
cause  he  espoused.  As  a  man  and  a  minister  he 
attached  personal  friends,  who  liberally  sustained  his 
enterprises  and  boldly  defended  his  measures. 

"  Having  been  presiding  elder  over  all  the  State  of 
Indiana,  from  the  Ohio  to  the  lakes,  he  was  a  herald 
of  the  Gospel  whom  God  owned  and  blessed,  and  his 
untiring  industry  and  influence,  devoted  as  they 
were  entirely  to  the  organizing  of  the  Church  in 
the  then  new  settlements,  place  him  on  the  page  of 
our  history  as  the  leading  evangelist. 

"  In  the  order  of  time,  the  societies  were  formed : 
first,  at  Door  Village;  second,  at  Springfield;  third, 
at  Robinson's;  fourth,  at  Laporte;  fifth,  in  Michigan 
City.  At  all  these  there  were  societies,  and  stated 
worship,  before  the  year  1837. 


28  EAELY   HISTOEY  OF  THE 

"  The  first  meeting-house  was  at  Door  Village ;  the 
second  at  Laporte ;  the  third,  Union  Chapel;  the 
fourth  at  Michigan  City ;  and  from  these  there  have 
branched  off  all  the  societies  in  the  county. 

"  N.  B.  Griffith  had  a  ready  mind,  well  adapted  to 
organize  religious  societies  in  a  new  country.  He 
was  remarkably  quick  and  correct  in  his  knowledge 
of  human  nature — a  discerner  of  human  character 
on  first  acquaintance.  Earnestly  devoted  to  the  one 
work  of  bringing  men  to  Christ,  his  congregations 
were  large  and  his  labors  successful.  He  died 
August  22,  1834. 

"  It  is  difficult  to  give  a  true  history  of  our  Church 
as  bounded  by  county  lines,  for  these  were  not  the 
lines  of  circuits  or  societies  in  the  first  mission.  In 
1833  there  was  a  missionary  district,  in  which  there 
was  a  Laporte  mission.  Elder  Armstrong  had 
charge  of  both  district  and  mission.  The  former 
inclosed  Ft.  Wayne,  Elkhart,  St.  Joseph,  and  Kala- 
mazoo,  as  well  as  Laporte,  On  this  district  were 
four  young  unmarried  men ;  namely,  E.  S.  Robinson, 
B.  Phelps,  J.  T.  Eobe,  and  G.  W.  Beswick.  As  the 
elder  lived  in  Laporte  county,  this  was  the  head  of 
•the  district.  These  gave  to  the  people  not  only  the 
wisdom  of  the  presiding  elder,  but  the  variety  of 
these  young  men. 

"The  returns  of  1833  give  to  Laporte  140  mem- 
bers; but  this  included  Terre  Coupee  society,  most 
of  whom  lived  beyond  the  county  line.  The  first 
camp  meeting  was  on  J.  A.  Osborne's  lands,  near 


WEST  AND   NORTH- WEST.  29 

Door  Village.  At  this  meeting  $300  was  subscribed 
to  build  the  first  Door  Village  church;  here,  for 
some  years,  was  the  strongest  society  in  the  county. 
It  had  laymen  and  local  preachers,  whose  general 
knowledge  gave  them  influence,  and  whose  devotion 
to  the  Church  made  them  a  power  for  usefulness. 

"F.  Standiford  was  one  of  those  who  came  to 
this  county.  He  was  brought  up  in  Maryland  in 
the  midst  of  old  Methodists,  and  graduated  "to  the 
order  of  elder  as  a  '  local '  preacher.  He  moved 
to  Laporte  from  Putnam  county,  Indiana,  having 
lived  first  in  Kentucky  after  leaving  Maryland.  He 
was  a  representative  ' local'  preacher,  assisting -the 
.itinerating  preachers  by  his  experience  in  knowl- 
edge of  '  Scripture  holiness.'  There  was,  in  the 
days  of  large  circuits  traveled  by  young  men,  a 
necessity  for  something  more  fixed  than  the  occa- 
sional visits  of  the  itinerating  evangelist;  and  a 
society  was  favored  when  it  had  an  ordained  local 
preacher.  This  was  the  condition  of  the  Door  Vil- 
lage society.  There  were  also  tried  laymen  in 
that  band  of  men,  who,  though  'they  had  come,  some 
from  Ohio,  others  from  Virginia,  and  others  from 
New  York  State,  yet  met  with  one  accord  in  one 
place,  and  were  blessed  of  God.  Many  of  these  have 
finished  their  careers,  and  rest  from  their  labors. 
F.  Standiford,  A.  Stearns,  and  J.  Sale,  have  passed 
on,  before  those  who  yet  remain  to  see  the  fruits  of 
planting  the  Church  in  this  beautiful  prairie. 

"  Of  traveling  preachers,  who  did  betimes  something 


30  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

to  build  these  societies,  and  who  have  passed  away,  I 
now  call  up  E.  Smith,  A.  Johnson,  G.  W.  Baker,  J. 
Garner,  W.  F.  Wheeler,  G.  M.  Beswick,  J.  Jenkins, 
and  W.  Poney.  All  these  had  at  some  time  con- 
tributed to  the  ministerial  work  of  a  quarterly 
meeting  at  Door  Village.  The  first  and  strongest 
off-shoot  from  this  old  stock  was  Union  Chapel,  on 
the  south  end  of  Door  Prairie,  composed  largely  of 
a  colony  from  Clark  county,  Indiana,  relations  of 
'Bobertsons'  and  '  Garners/  who  formed  the  first 
Methodist  class  in  Indiana  Territory  in  1802.  The 
leading  laymen  and  local  preachers  were  sui  generis 
Methodist,  of  old  Maryland  and  Ohio  stock — oral — 
hospitable — earnest — loyal." 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  31 


CHAPTER  III. 

FOR  the  subject-matter  of  this  and  the  following 
chapter,  I  am  indebted  to  brother  W.  0.  Smith's 
" Indiana  Miscellany;"  from  different  portions  oi 
which  they  are  compiled. 

It  has  generally  been  thought  that  Methodism 
was  introduced  into  Indiana,  in  what  is  known  as 
Clark's  Grant,  which  included  a  portion  of  what  is 
now  Clark  and  Floyd  counties.  In  later  years  it 
has  been  stated  that  a  class  of  Methodists  was 
formed  in  Clark's  Grant,  as  early  as  1802 ;  but  upon 
what  evidence  or  authority  we  do  not  know.  We 
do  know  that  Kev.  Hugh  Cull,  a  local  preacher,  set- 
tled in  the  Whitewater  country  as  early  as  1805, 
having  visited  the  country  the  year  previous.  The 
first  circuit  in  Indiana  was  called  Whitewater,  and 
belonged  to  the  Ohio  district,  in  the  old  Western 
Conference.  It  embraced  all  the  country  from  the 
Ohio  Eiver  along  the  eastern  line  of  the  territory, 
as  far  north  as  there  were  any  white  settlements, 
which  was  in  the  region  where  Eichmond  now  stands, 
and  west  to  the  land  belonging  to  the  Indians. 
This  circuit  was  probably  formed  in  1807.  It  ap- 
pears upon  the  Minutes  of  the  Western  Conference, 
in  the  year  1808,  with  Joseph  Williams  as  preacher 
in  charge,  and  John  Sale  presiding  elder  of  the 


32  EARLY   HISTOKY  OF  THE 

district.  The  settlements  visited  by  Mr.  Williams 
were  remote  from  each  other;  the  traveling  was  la- 
borious and  hazardous;  the  roads  along  which  he 
passed  were  Indian  traces  and  newly  blazed  ways; 
the  streams  were  unbridged ;  the  country  was  full 
of  ravenous  beasts  and  the  much-dreaded  Indians. 
The  emigrants,  to  whom  he  ministered,  could  afford 
him  but  few  accommodations.  He  labored  faithfully, 
hunting  up  the  Methodists  who  had  pitched  their 
tents  in  the  wilderness,  and  at  the  end  of  the  year 
returned  165  white  members  and  one  colored.  Ac- 
cording to  the  most  reliable  data,  these  were  all  the 
Methodists  who  had  to  this  date  been  organized  and 
numbered  in  Indiana.  In  1808  Indiana  contained 
but  one  circuit,  with  166  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  Now,  1866,  there  are  four  An- 
nual Conferences,  with  a  membership  of  about  100,- 
000  in  the  State.  How  great  the  change  in  fifty- 
eight  years !  Mr.  Williams  has  the  honor  of  being 
the  first  itinerant  Methodist  preacher  appointed  to 
a  circuit  in  Indiana.  We  would,  if  we  had  the  par- 
ticulars of  his  life  and  death,  give  them  to  the  pub- 
lic to  perpetuate  his  memory.  In  1809  he  was  sent 
to  Scioto  circuit,  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  in  1810 
he  located.  In  1809  Indiana  district  was  formed, 
and  Samuel  Parker  was  appointed  presiding  elder. 
It  was  composed  of  the  following  circuits :  Illinois, 
Missouri,  Maramack,  Coldwater,  Whitewater,  and 
Silver  Creek.  Though  but  two  circuits  of  this  dis- 
trict were  in  Indiana,  we  give  its  entire  bounds, 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  33 

that  the  young  men,  who  are  now  traveling  circuits 
and  districts  in  the  State,  may  see  the  extent  of  the 
fields  of  labor  our  fathers  had  to  cultivate.  This 
district  covered  all  the  territories  of  Indiana,  Illi- 
nois, and  Missouri.  It  required,  surely,  a  man  of 
strong  nerves  and  stout  heart  to  travel  such  a  dis- 
trict at  such  a  time.  In  traveling  this  district  Mr. 
Parker  had  to  go  from  the  eastern  boundary  of  In- 
diana across  Illinois,  and  then  across  the  Mississippi 
Kiver  into  Missouri.  In  some  places  many  miles  of 
unbroken  wilderness  intervened  between  the  settle- 
ments he  had  to  visit.  This  year  Silver  Creek  cir- 
cuit was  formed,  and  embraced  all  the  settlements 
in  the  southern  portion  of  the  territory,  and  up  the 
Ohio  Eiver  to  Whitewater  circuit.  Hector  Sanford 
and  Moses  Grume  were  appointed  to  Whitewater, 
and  Josiah  Crawford  to  Silver  Creek.  The  most 
northern  appointment  on  the  Whitewater  circuit 
was  the  cabin  of  George  Smith,  which  was  about 
two  miles  from  where  the  city  of  Eichmond  is  now 
situated.  At  the  close  of  this  year  the  preachers 
returned  352  members  for  Whitewater  circuit,  and 
188  for  Silver  Creek,  making  an  increase  of  374. 
In  1810  Whitewater  was  placed  in  the  Miami  dis- 
trict, with  John  Sale  presiding  elder,  and  Thomas 
Nelson  and  Samuel  H.  Thompson  circuit  preachers. 
This  district  was  composed  of  the  following  circuits : 
Cincinnati,  Mad  Eiver,  Scioto,  Deer  Creek,  Hockhock- 
ing,  White  Oak,  and  Whitewater.  Silver  Creek  was 
in  the  Green  Eiver  district,  William  Burke  presiding 


34  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

elder,  and  Sela  Paine  circuit  preacher.  This  dis- 
trict was  composed  of  the  following  circuits :  Green 
Biver,  Barren,  Wayne,  Cumberland,  Danville,  Salt 
Eiver,  Shelby,  and  Silver  Creek.  Indiana  district 
was  composed  of  Illinois,  Missouri,  Maramack,  Cold- 
water,  Cape  Girardeau,  and  Vincennes  circuits. 
Samuel  Parker  was  returned  to  the  district,  and 
Wm.  Winans  was  appointed  to  Vincennes.  Nelson 
and  Thompson,  who  traveled  the  Whitewater  circuit 
this  year,  both  rose  to  considerable  distinction,  par- 
ticularly Mr.  Thompson.  The  next  year  Nelson  was 
sent  to  Bapids  circuit  in  Mississippi.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son was  sent  to  Nollechuckie,  in  the  State  of  Ten- 
nessee. Neither  of  these  men  ever  returned  to  In- 
diana to  labor. 

Sela  Paine,  who  traveled  the  Silver  Creek  circuit 
this  year,  was  sent  the  next  to  Natchez  circuit, 
Mississippi. 

Vincennes  circuit  appears  on  the  Minutes  of  the 
Conference  this  year  for  the  first  time,  making  three 
fields  of  labor  in  Indiana.  What  the  dimensions  of 
this  circuit  were  we  have  no  means  of  knowing. 
Vincennes  was  an  old  French  post,  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Eoman  Catholics,  a  hard  place  in 
which  to  plant  Methodism.  Mr.  Winans,  who  had 
been  sent  to  Vincennes  this  year,  had  been  admitted 
on  trial  in  the  Western  Conference  the  year  before. 
He  was  a  young  man  of  promising  talents,  and  made 
a  good  impression  on  those  who  heard  him  preach. 
It  was  difficult  for  him  to  get  the  people  of 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  35 

Vincennes  to  come  to  preaching,  so  wicked  and  so 
much  were  they  under  the  influence  of  the  Eomish 
priests. 

The  following  incident  is  said  to  have  occurred 
this  year:  General  William  H.  Harrison  was  Gov- 
ernor of  the  territory  of  Indiana,  and  resided  at 
Vincennes.  Young  Mr.  Winans  had  an  appointment 
to  preach  one  night,  in  a  small  room  in  town.  Gen- 
eral Harrison  and  one  other  person  composed  the 
congregation  assembled  to  hear  the  young  preacher. 
There  was  but  one  candle  to  give  light,  and  nothing 
to  place  that  upon.  The  General  held  the  can- 
dle for  the  young  preacher  to  see  to  read  his  hymn 
and  text.  Mr.  Winans  preached  faithfully  to  those 
two  hearers.  After  this  he  had  no  trouble  in  getting 
a  congregation  to  preach  to.  At  the  close  of  this 
year  the  preachers  returned  484  members  from 
Whitewater  circuit,  235  from  Silver  Creek,  and 
forty-three  from  Vincennes,  making  a  total  of  765, 
an  increase  of  418;  showing  that  Methodism  began 
to  take  a  deep  hold  upon  the  pioneers  in  Indiana. 
In  1811  Whitewater  circuit  was  continued  in  con- 
nection with  the  Miami  district,  Solomon  Langdon 
presiding  elder,  and  Moses  Grume  in  charge  of  the 
circuit.  The  people  hailed  Mr.  Grume's  return  to 
them  with  great  delight.  He  had  traveled  the  cir- 
cuit as  junior  preacher  two  years  before.  He  made 
his  impress  upon  the  people  so  deeply  this  year,  that 
he  was  ever  afterward  a  great  favorite  among  them. 
Isaac  Lindsey  was  sent  to  Silver  Creek  circuit  this 


36  EARLY   HISTORY  OF  THE 

year.  It  remained  in  connection  with  the  Green 
River  district,  with  William  Burke  as  presiding 
elder. 

Vincennes  appears  on  the  Minutes  this  year  as 
"St.  Vincennes,"  in  connection  with  the  Cumberland 
district;  Learner  Blackman  presiding  elder,  and 
Thomas  Stilwell  circuit  preacher.  Mr.  Blackman 
was  a  man  eminent  for  his  talents,  piety,  and  useful- 
ness. During  the  course  of  his  life  he  traveled  over 
a  very  extensive  territory  of  country,  ranging  from 
Pittsburg  to  New  Orleans,  and  was  highly  esteemed 
by  all  who  knew  him.  This  year  the  preachers 
reported  368  members  from  Whitewater  circuit,  397 
from  Silver  Creek,  and  325  from  Vincennes,  making 
a  total  of  1,160,  or  an  increase  of  395.  In  1812 
two  additional  circuits  were  formed  in  Indiana; 
Lawrenceburg  and  Patoka.  Whitewater  and  Law- 
renceburg  were  connected  with  the  Miami  district, 
Solomon  Langdon  presiding  elder.  Silver  Creek  was 
connected  with  Salt  River  district,  James  Ward 
presiding  elder;  while  Vincennes  and  Patoka  were 
connected  with  Wabash  district,  James  Axley  pre- 
siding elder.  Walter  Griffith  was  sent  to  Lawrence- 
burg,  Eobert  W.  Finley  to  Whitewater,  William 
M'Mahon  to  Silver  Creek,  James  Turner  to  Vin- 
cennes, and  Benjamin  Edge  to  Patoka.  These  men 
were  all  faithful  and  useful. 

Walter  Griffith,  who  traveled  the  Lawrenceburg 
circuit  this  year,  was  afterward  made  presiding 
elder,  and  filled  that  important  office  with  great 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  37 

acceptability  and  usefulness.  Kobert  W.  Finley  had 
been  a  Presbyterian  minister  for  several  years,  and 
was  the  father  of  Rev.  James  B.  Finley,  who  rose 
to  such  distinction  in  Ohio.  At  the  close  of  the 
year  there  were  returned  from  the  five  circuits  in 
Indiana  a  total  membership  of  1,121,  which  seems 
to  present  a  decrease  in  the  number  of  Church 
members;  but  from  some  cause,  there  were  no 
returns  from  Lawrenceburg  and  Patoka  circuits. 
This  accounts  for  the  apparent  decrease  in  the 
number  of  members. 

In  1813  the  old  Western  Conference  was  divided 
or  discontinued,  and  the  Ohio  and  Tennessee  Con- 
ferences were  formed  out  of  it.  The  circuits  in 
Indiana  were  placed  in  these  two  Conferences, 
Lawrenceburg  and  Whitewater  were  placed  in  the 
Miami  district,  and  Silver  Creek  in  the  Salt  Kiver 
district,  all  within  the  boundary  lines  of  Ohio  Con- 
ference. Patoka  disappears  this  year.  William 
Dixon  was  sent  to  Lawrenceburg,  John  Strange  went 
to  Whitewater,  and  Thomas  Nelson  to  Silver  Creek. 

At  the  close  of  this  year  the  number  of  Church 
members  reported  were  as  follows :  Lawrenceburg, 
489;  Whitewater,  847;  Silver  Creek,  555;  Vin- 
cennes,  175 ;  Patoka,  110.  Total  membership,  2,176. 

In  five  years,  two  thousand,  one  hundred  and 
seventy-six  members  had  been  gathered  into  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Indiana,  and  this 
though  the  country  was  new,  and  though  but  a  small 
portion  of  the  territory  was  inhabited  by  white  people. 


38  EAELY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

This  large  increase  shows  that  the  men  who  had 
been  sent  into  the  wild  wilderness  to  cultivate  Im- 
manuel's  land,  had  done  their  work  faithfully,  and 
God  had  crowned  their  labors  with  success. 

In  1814  Moses  Grume  was  sent  to  Lawrence- 
burg  circuit,  David  Sharp  to  Whitewater,  Charles 
Harrison  to  Silver  Creek,  and  Zachariah  Witten  to 
Vincennes.  Patoka  does  not  appear  on  the  list  of 
appointments  this  year.  Charles  Holliday  was  ap- 
pointed presiding  elder  of  Salt  River  district,  and 
Silver  Creek  being  in  his  district  gave  him  connec- 
tions with  the  work  in  Indiana;  and  Jesse  Walker, 
being  presiding  elder  of  Illinois  district,  and  Vin- 
cennes being  in  that  district,  he  was  brought  in  con- 
nection with  the  work  in  Indiana. 

The  number  of  members  reported  at  the  close  of 
this  year  was  1,759,  showing  a  decrease,  which  was 
caused  by  the  derangement  of  the  work  produced 
by  the  war  in  which  the  country  was  then  engaged. 
In  1815  John  Strange  was  seftt  to  Lawrenceburg, 
William  Hunt  to  Whitewater,  Shadrach  Euark  to 
Silver  Creek,  John  Scripps  to  Patoka,  and  John  Shra- 
der  to  Vincennes,  with  the  same  presiding  elders  that 
traveled  the  districts  the  year  before.  The  number 
of  circuits  was  not  increased,  but  their  boundaries 
were  greatly  enlarged. 

The  terror  among  the  settlers,  caused  by  the 
war,  and  the  constant  danger  from  the  Indians  that 
infested  the  country  by  thousands,  had  caused  many 
of  the  inhabitants  to  return  to  the  old  States  for 


WEST   AND  NOBTH-WEST.  39 

safety.  Among  them  were  many  Methodists,  causing 
a  great  decrease  this  year.  There  were  reported  to 
Conference  a  total  of  1,504. 

In  1816  David  Sharp  was  sent  to  Lawrenceburg, 
Daniel  Fraley  to  Whitewater,  Joseph  Kinkade  to  Sil- 
ver Creek,  John  Shrader  to  Blue  Eiver,  Thomas  A. 
King  to  Patoka,  and  Thomas  Davis  to  Vincennes. 
Blue  Kiver  circuit  had  been  formed  out  of  a  part  of 
Silver  Creek.  It  extended  down  the  Ohio  Eiver  and 
out  to  the  head-waters  of  Patoka.  We  now  have 
six  circuits  formed  in  Indiana.  The  war  being 
over  and  the  country  becoming  more  quiet,  the 
inhabitants  who  had  fled  for  fear  of  the  Indians  be- 
gan to  return,  with  many  new  emigrants.  The 
preachers  were  enabled  to  report  this  year  a  total  of 
1,877  members,  an  increase  of  373  over  the  past 
year. 

In  1817  Eussel  Bigelow  was  sent  to  Lawrence- 
burg,  Benjamin  Lawrence  to  Whitewater,  Daniel 
M'Henry  and  Thomas  Davis  to  Patoka,  James  M'- 
Cord  and  Charles  Slocomb  to  Vincennes,  John 
Cord  to  Blue  Eiver,  Joseph  Pownal  to  Silver  Creek. 

Missouri  Conference  having  been  formed,  all  of 
Illinois  and  all  of  Indiana,  except  Lawrenceburg 
and  Whitewater  circuits,  were  placed  in  that  Con- 
ference. The  other  circuits  were  in  the  Illinois  dis- 
trict, with  Samuel  H.  Thompson  for  presiding  elder. 
Moses  Crume  was  placed  over  the  Miami  district,  in 
the  Ohio  Conference;  which  brought  him  back  to 
Lawrenceburg  and  Whitewater  circuits,  where  he 


40  EARLY   HISTORY  OF  THE 

met  a  hearty  welcome  from  the  people.  The 
preachers  on  the  six  circuits,  in  Indiana,  reported  at 
the  close  of  the  year  a  total  membership  of  1,907, 
being  a  small  increase  over  the  past  year.  In 
1818  Samuel  West  and  Allen  Wiley  were  sent 
to  Lawrenceburg,  William  Hunt  to  Whitewater, 
Charles  Slocomb  to  Patoka,  Thomas  Davis  to  Little 
Pigeon,  John  Shrader  and  John  M'Cord  to  Vin- 
cennes,  Othniel  Taebert  to  Blue  Kiver,  and  John  Cord 
to  Silver  Creek.  Little  Pigeon  was  a  new  circuit 
just  formed,  and  embraced  the  country  south-west 
of  Blue  River  circuit.  We  have  now  seven  circuits, 
traveled  by  nine  preachers.  The  preachers  reported 
to  Conference  at  the  close  of  this  year  a  total  of 
3,044  members,  an  increase  of  1,037. 

In  the  year  1819  the  work  in  Indiana  was  so  ar- 
ranged as  to  place  the  circuits  in  two  Annual  Con- 
ferences, namely,  the  Ohio  and  Missouri,  and  to 
form  three  districts;  namely,  the  Lebanon  and 
Miami,  in  the  Ohio  Conference,  and  the  Illinois  in 
the  Missouri  Conference.  There  were  three  new 
circuits  formed,  which  appear  upon  the  Minutes 
this  year  for  the  first  time ;  namely,  Madison,  Indian 
Creek,  and  Harrison.  The  circuits  were  placed  in 
districts  as  follows :  Whitewater  in  Lebanon  dis- 
trict, with  Moses  Crume  presiding  elder;  Lawrence- 
burg  and  Madison  in  Miami  district,  with  John 
Sale  presiding  elder ;  and  Silver  Creek,  Indian  Creek, 
Blue  Eiver,  Harrison,  Vincennes,  Patoka,  and  Pigeon, 
in  Illinois  district,  with  Jesse  Hale'  presiding  elder. 


WEST  AND   NOETH-WEST.  41 

Allen  Wiley  and  Zachariah  Connell  were  sent  to 
Whitewater  circuit,  Benjamin  Lawrence  to  Lawrence- 
burg,  John  T.  Kent  to  Madison,  David  Sharp  to 
Silver  Creek,  William  Mavity  to  Indian  Creek, 
John  Pownal  to  Blue  Eiver,  William  Medford  to 
Harrison,  John  Cord  to  Vincennes,  John  Wallace 
and  Daniel  M'Henry  to  Patoka  and  Pigeon.  This 
was  a  year  of  considerable  prosperity.  The  whole 
number  of  members  in  Indiana  was  3,470,  giving 
an  increase  for  the  year  of  426. 

In  1820  the  districts  and  circuits  were  again 
changed,  and  supplied  as  follows:  Miami  district, 
Ohio  Conference,  Walter  Griffith  presiding  elder; 
Whitewater  circuit,  Arthur  W.  Elliott,  Samuel 
Brown;  Lawrenceburg,  Benjamin  Lawrence,  Henry 
S.  Farnandis;  Madison,  Henry  Baker,  William  H. 
Eaper;  Indiana  district,  Missouri  Conference,  Sam- 
uel Hamilton  presiding  elder;  Silver  Creek  circuit, 
Calvin  Euter,  Job  M.  Baker ;  Indian  Creek,  John 
Shrader,  John  Everhart;  Blue  Eiver,  John  Stew- 
art, Joseph  Pownal;  Patoka,  John  Wallace;  Vin- 
cennes, Daniel  M'Henry.  Pigeon  and  Harrison  do 
not  appear  on  the  Minutes  this  year. 

This  year  Calvin  Euter  commenced  his  labors  in 
Indiana.  He  had  been  admitted  into  the  Ohio  Con- 
ference two  years  before,  and  was  now  transferred 
to  the  Missouri  Conference.  The  whole  number  of 
members  returned  this  year  was  4,399,  giving  an 
increase  of  929.  In  1821  Charlestown,  Blooming- 
ton,  Ohio,  Mount  Sterling,  and  Corydon  appear  on 

4 


42  EAELY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

the  Minutes  as  heads  of  circuits.  The  presiding 
elders  continued  upon  the  districts  as  they  were  the 
past  year.  This  year  James  Jones  was  sent  to 
Whitewater,  John  P.  Durbin  and  James  Collard  to 
Lawrenceburg,  Allen  Wiley  and  William  P.  Quinn 
to  Madison,  Calvin  Ruter  and  William  Cravens  to 
Charlestown,  John  Scripps  and  Samuel  Glaize  to 
Blue  River,  Daniel  Chamberlin  to  Bloomington,  Job 
M.  Baker  to  Vincennes,  Elias  Stone  to  Patoka,  John 
Wallace  to  Ohio,  George  K.  Hester  to  Mount  Ster- 
ling, and  John  Shrader  to  Corydon.  The  aggregate 
membership  for  this  year  was  7,314.  Methodism 
was  now  advancing  rapidly  in  the  State. 

In  1822  Allen  Wiley  and  James  T.  Wells  were 
sent  to  Whitewater,  Henry  Baker  to  Lawrenceburg, 
James  Jones  and  James  Murray  to  Madison,  with 
Alexander  Cummins  for  presiding  elder.  James 
Armstrong  was  sent  to  Charlestown,  George  K. 
Hester  to  Flat  Rock,  John  Wallace  and  Joseph 
Kinkade  to  Blue  River,  Jchn  Cord  to  Bloomington, 
David  Chamberlin  to  Honey  Creek,  John  Stewart 
to  Vincennes,  James  L.  Thompson  to  Patoka,  Eben- 
ezer  Webster  to  Mount  Sterling,  Job  M.  Baker  to 
Corydon,  and  William  Cravens  to  Indianapolis,  with 
Samuel  Hamilton  for  presiding  elder.  Indianapolis 
now  appears  on  the  Minutes  as  the  head  of  a  circuit, 
for  the  first  time.  In  1866  there  were  five  Method- 
ist preachers  and  one  missionary  stationed  at  Indi- 
anapolis, and  the  charges  in  the  city  belong  to  four 
Annual  Conferences.  The  borders  of  Methodism 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  43 

had  rapidly  enlarged.  The  men,  into  whose  hands 
the  work  had  been  committed,  were  fully  devoted 
to  their  calling.  In  1823  the  number  of  circuits 
had  increased  to  fifteen.  Two  new  ones  had  been 
formed  in  Connersville  and  Eel  Eiver..  Cummins 
and  Hamilton  were  continued  as  presiding  elders. 
The  appointments  of  the  preachers  were  as  follows: 
Whitewater,  Eussel  Bigelow  and  George  Gatch; 
Lawrenceburg,  W.  H.  Eaper;  Madison,  J.  Stewart 
and  Nehemiah  B.  Griffith ;  Connersville,  James  Mur- 
ray and  James  C.  Taylor ;  Charlestown,  James  Arm- 
strong; Flat  Bock,  Dennis  Wiley;  Blue  Eiver,  W. 
M.  Eeynolds  and  George  K.  Hester;  Bloomington, 
John  Cord;  Honey  Creek,  Hackaliah  Vredenburg; 
Vincennes,  John  Ingersoll  and  Job  M.  Baker';  Pa- 
toka,  Ebenezer  F.  Webster;.  Mount  Sterling,  Ste- 
phen E.  Beggs;  Corydon,  James  L.  Thompson;  In- 
dianapolis, James  Scott;  Eel  Eiver,  William  Cra- 
vens. The  whole  membership  this  year  was  7,733, 
giving  an  increase  of  nineteen. 


44  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE  Divine  Being  will  always  take  care  of  those 
who  trust  in  him,  and  unreservedly  devote  all  their 
time  and  strength  to  his  service.  He  will  support, 
sustain,  comfort,  and  deliver  them  in  time  of  trouble. 

In  the  year  1828,  when  Stephen  E.  Beggs  traveled 
the  Wayne  circuit,  Mrs.  H.,  who  then  resided  in 
Eichmond,  was  deeply  convicted  of  sin;  she  was 
awakened  under  a  sermon  preached  by  Mr.  Beggs, 
from  Psalm  1,  14,  15 :  "  Offer  unto  God  thanksgiv- 
ing; and  pay  thy  vows  unto  the  Most  High;  and 
call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble:  I  will  deliver 
thee,  and  thou  shalt  glorify  me."  She  had  a  long 
and  hard  struggle,  but  after  weeks  of  deep  penitence, 
found  redemption  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb;  her 
burden  of  guilt  was  taken  away,  and  her  "mourn- 
ing was  turned  into  joy."  So  intense  was  her  agony 
of  mind  before  she  found  peace  in  believing,  that 
she  was  almost  incapable  of  attending  to  her 
domestic  duties ;  so  great  was  her  joy  when  she  felt 
all  her  sins  were  forgiven,  that  she  shouted  aloud 
the  praises  of  God,  saying :  "  Now,  Lord,  from  this 
time  forth,  in  weal  or  in  woe,  in  sickness  or  in 
health,  in  tribulation,  in  distress,  poverty,  persecu- 
tion, living  or  dying;  I  am  thine — thine  forever!" 
She  connected  herself  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 


WEST  AND   NOBTH-WEST.  45 

Church,  casting  in  her  lot  with  the  little  persecuted 
band  in  Kichmond.  Her  husband  was  a  very  wicked 
man,  violently  opposed  to  her  piety,  particularly 
to  her  being  among  the  Methodists,  who,  on  account 
of  their  religion,  were  not  in  the  sweetest  odor  in 
the  nostrils  of  most  citizens  in  town.  He  not  only 
refused  to  render  her  any  assistance,  but  by  every 
means  in  his  power  strove  to  block  up  the  way,  pre- 
vent her  from  attending  Church,  and  break  her  off 
from  her  piety,  abusing  the  Methodists  with  oaths 
and  curses,  threatening  her  with  violence  if  she  did 
not  desist  from  her  religious  course.  He  often 
crossed  her  in  domestic  concerns,  trying  in  every 
possible  way  to  get  her  angry,  thinking,  if  he  could 
only  aggravate  her  to  madness,  the  victory  would 
be  won  and  his  triumph  complete ;  but  in  this  he 
failed,  while  Mrs.  H.  was  kind  and  affectionate, 
giving  every  necessary  attention  to  the  wants  of  her 
family,  enduring  the  abuses  heaped  upon  herself 
and  the  Methodists  by  her  husband,  never  uttering 
an  unkind  word,  or  allowing  a  murmur  to  escape  her 
lips.  She  did  not  allow  his  opposition  or  threats  to 
deter  her  from  the  discharge  of  her  religious  duties, 
but  was  faithful  in  all  things,  always  at  class  and 
prayer  meetings,  and  always  in  attendance  upon  the 
preached  Word.  Her  steadfastness  continued  as  time 
rolled  on,  though  the  oppositions  she  met  from  her 
husband  increased.  A  two  days'  meeting  was  ap- 
pointed in  the  country  a  few  miles  from  town.  When 
the  time  drew  near  her  husband  forbade  her  going; 


46  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

she  flew  to  the  Lord,  who  was  her  "stronghold  in 
the  day  of  trouble."  Keceiving,  as  she  believed,  an 
answer  that  it  was  right  for  her  to  go,  she  made 
every  arrangement  she  could  for  the  comfort  of  her 
husband  during  her  absence.  "When  the  time  ar- 
rived she  took  her  two  children,  and,  being  aided 
by  some  kind  friends,  made  her  way  on  Saturday 
to  the  place  of  meeting,  intending  to  return  on  Sun- 
day evening.  As  the  meeting  progressed  she  was 
greatly  blessed.  While  she  spoke  in  the  love-feast 
on  Sunday  morning,  the  Holy  Ghost  came  down; 
every  heart  was  thrilled,  every  eye  melted  to  tears. 
It  rained  throughout  the  day  on  Sunday,  which 
raised  Whitewater  beyond  fording,  and  Mrs.  H. 
could  not  return.  There  being  several  persons  at 
the  house  where  she  was,  they  held  a  prayer  meet- 
ing. During  the  exercises,  Mrs.  H.  was  called  upon 
to  pray.  She  poured  out  her  burdened  soul  to  God; 
never  did  woman  plead  for  a  husband  with  greater 
earnestness. 

During  all  this  time  her  husband  was  at  home, 
raging  like  a  madman.  When  Sunday  night  came  and 
his  wife  did  not  return,  he  became  furious.  About 
midnight,  concluding  his  wife  had  given  herself  to  the 
Methodists,  caring  nothing  for  him,  he  resolved  to 
burn  up  his  house  and  all  it  contained,  and  "run 
away  by  the  light."  He  went  to  work  and  packed 
up  his  clothes.  When  all  was  ready  and  he  was 
about  to  kindle  the  fire  to  consume  his  house,  it  oc- 
curred to  him  that  it  would  be  too  cruel  to  burn  the 


WEST  AND  NOKTH-WEST.  47 

house  and  all  its  contents,  and  leave  his  wife  and 
children  with  nothing  to  help  themselves.  After  a 
moment's  pause,  he  concluded  to  leave  the  house  and 
goods  for  her;  but  "he  would  go,  and  she  should 
nevermore  see  his  face."  He  took  his  pack  and 
started,  directing  his  steps  toward  Eaton,  Ohio. 
When  he  had  walked  about  four  miles,  suddenly  the 
thought  entered  his  mind,  "This  is  just  what  my  wife 
and  the  Methodists  desire — to  get  rid  of  me."  With 
an  oath  he  determined  they  should  not  be  gratified. 
"  He  would  go  back  and  devil  them  as  long  as  he 
lived."  Eetracing  his  steps,  when  he  reached  town 
the  day  was  dawning.  He  went  to  his  house — 
which  he  had  left  after  midnight,  intending  never 
to  return— and  put  away  his  clothes.  His  passion 
had  been  wrought  up  to  such  a.  pitch  that  he  felt 
he  must  have  revenge  some  way.  To  this  end  he 
went  to  a  liquor-saloon  and  took  a  potion,  to  nerve 
him  more  fully  for  his  purpose.  He  then  went  out 
on  the  streets,  intending  to  whip  the  first  man  that 
gave  him  a  harsh  word  or  an  unpleasant  look.  To  his 
utter  discomfiture,  every  one  he  met  was  in  a  most 
pleasant  humor ;  none  gave  him  an  unkind  word. 
At  this  he  was  so  much  chagrined,  he  determined 
to  commit  suicide ;  but  soon  the  thought  occurred : 
"  This  is  what  my  wife  and  the  Methodists  desire — 
any  thing  to  get  rid  of  me."  Toward  noon  of  this 
day,  his  wife  returned  home.  As  soon  as  she  ar- 
rived he  commenced  cursing  the  Methodists,  "hoping 
thereby  to  provoke  her  to  reply.  He  was  again 


48  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

doomed  to  disappointment.  In  this  he  did  not  suc- 
ceed, though  he  kept  it  up  till  a  late  hour  in  the 
night.  Finding  this  effort  to  provoke  his  wife  into 
a  dispute  failed,  he  now  tried  another  scheme ;  that 
was  to  make  her  believe  he  would  kill  himself,  hop- 
ing she  would  yield,  rather  than  "  he  should  do  that 
dreadful  deed;"  at  least,  that  "she  would  try  to  dis- 
suade him  from  his  purpose."  Mrs.  H.  did  not 
make  any  reply,  but  with  her  heart  uplifted  to 
God  in  earnest  prayer,  felt  that  he  would  overrule 
all  for  good.  In  a  few  weeks  after  this,  the  first 
two-day  meeting  held  in  Eichmond  was  to  come  off. 
"When  Mrs.  H.'s  husband  heard  that  the  meeting 
was  appointed,  he  gave  her  most  positive  orders  not 
to  bring  any  Methodists  about  the  house  at  that 
time.  She  gave  no  promise,  but  as  the  time  drew 
near  made  what  preparations  she  could  to  accom- 
modate a  few%  friends. 

When  the  meeting  came  on  she  invited  two 
mothers  in  Israel  home  with  her  on  Saturday.  Her 
husband,  finding  they  were  in  his  house,  would  not 
go  home  till  a  late  hour  at  night.  On  Sunday 
morning  he  ventured  to  the  breakfast-table.  While 
at  the  table  the  ladies  invited  him  to  go  to  the  love- 
feast  that  morning.  Instantly  he  said  to  himself, 
" That's  my  chance.  The  Methodists  have  door- 
keepers when  they  hold  love-feasts,  and  they  talk  to 
those  who  arc  noi,  members  of  the  Church  before 
they  let  them  in.  I  will  go  to  the  door,  but  I  will 
not  go  in.  When  I  get  there  and  they  begin  to  talk 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  49 

to  me,  I  will  give  the  Methodists — preachers  and 
people — a  round  cursing  in  the  hearing  of  them  all, 
and  then  turn  away;  that  will  be  some  gratifica- 
tion to  me."  When  the  hour  for  love-feast  arrived, 
he  accompanied  his  wife  and  the  two  ladies  to  the 
•school-house  where  the  meeting  was  held.  As  they 
drew  near  the  door — there  being  quite  a  crowd 
there — he  concluded  to  fall  back  a  little,  till  all  had 
passed  in,  "lest  the  door-keeper  might  not  speak  to 
him,  and  then  he  would  lose  the  opportunity  of  do- 
ing up.  the  job  of  cursing  he  had  prepared  himself 
for."  When  they  had  all  passed  in  he  stepped  upon 
the  door-step.  The  door-keeper  swung  •  the  door 
wide  open.  He  stepped  in  and  halted.  The  door- 
keeper, putting  his  arm  around,  drew  him  a  little 
forward  and  closed  the  door  without  saying  a  word. 
Mr.  H.  turned  pale,  and,  trembling  from  head  to 
foot,  sat  down. 

.  The  love-feast  was  a  time  of  power.  He  never 
had  been  in  one  before — had  not  intended  to  be  in 
this,  "but  was  caught  in  a  trap."  He  felt  that  his 
distress  of  mind  was  intolerable;  that  if  the  tor- 
ments of  the  damned  in  hell  were  any  greater  than 
he  had  been  enduring  for  months,  he  could  not 
bear  the  thought.  In  that  love-feast  he  resolved 
if  there  was  any  such  religion  as  the  Methodists  and 
his  wife  professed,  he  would  have  it  or  die  seeking. 
From  this  time  he  sought  the  pardon  of  his  nu- 
merous sins.  The  struggle  continued  for  weeks. 
So  great  was  his  distress  of  mind,  that  much  of  the 

5 


50  EARLY  HISTORY   OF   THE 

time  he  could  neither  eat  nor  sleep.  Now  did  Mrs. 
H.  most  devoutly  pray  that  God  would  have  mercy 
on  her  husband.  He  was  clearly  and  powerfully 
converted  at  a  camp  meeting,  joined  the  Church, 
and  became  as  zealous  in  the  cause  of  the  Eedeemer 
as  he  had  been  in  that  of  Satan,  and  as  ardently 
attached  to  the  Church  as  he  had  been  bitterly  op- 
posed to  it.  How  wondrous  the  mercy  of  God! 
During  all  the  time  he  was  so  fearfully  opposing 
his  wife  the  carnal  mind  I  was  fearful  of  being  cast 
out.  He  was  often  heard  to  say,  "  The  steadfastness 
of  my  wife,  with  God's  blessing,  saved  me." 

Had  Mrs.  H.  yielded  in  the  slightest  degree,  or 
faltered  in  her  religious  course,  the  probabilities  are 
her  husband  never  would  have  been  converted,  and 
she  would  have  retrograded  in  her  piety.  The  text 
from  which  the  sermon  was  preached,  that  was  the 
instrument  in  her  awakening,  made  a  lasting  im- 
pression on  her  mind :  "  Offer  unto  God  thanksgiv- 
ing ;  and  pay  thy  vows  unto  the  Most  High ;  and  call 
upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble;  I  will  deliver  thee: 
and  thou  shalt  glorify  me."  To  this  she  clung  till 
she  realized  the  fulfillment  of  the  blessed  promise. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  51 


CHAPTER  V. 

I  WAS  received  into  the  Missouri  Conference,  Oc- 
tober, 1822,  and  was  appointed  in  charge  of  the  Mt. 
Sterling  circuit,  Indiana,  Samuel  Hamilton  presiding 
elder.  This  was  a  four  weeks'  circuit,  lying  mostly 
on  the  Ohio  River,  and  extending  north  nearly  to 
Pealey.  It  was  a  sore  trial  to  my  friends  as  well 
as  me.  They  wept  as  I  wept;  and  for  the  first  few 
miles  I  indulged  myself  in  a  good  "fit  of  crying." 
I  constantly ^ thought  of  what  father  said;  that  in  a 
few  years  I  would  break  down,  and  die  poor  and 
helpless,  as  he  had  almost  nothing  to  give  me.  I 
was  to  have  only  $100  a  year  if  I  got  all  my  "  quar- 
terage;" and  very  many,  I  knew,  labored  the  whole 
year  and  did  not  get  one-fourth  their  dues.  But  all 
such  thoughts  I  had  to  banish,  and  rely  on  the  sim- 
ple promise  of  God,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always  !" 
I  thank  him  that  to-day  I  can  look  back  upon  the 
realization  of  more  than  my  expectations,  both  as 
regards  things  spiritual  and  things  temporal. 

Upon  reaching  my  circuit,  which  was  fifty  miles 
from  home,  I  had  a  harder  task  yet — that  was,  to 
let  the  people  know  what  I  had  come  for.  I  was  a 
mere  boy.  Many  of  them  had  no  suspicion  that  I 
was  their  preacher,  and  my  numerous  questions  did 
not  give  them  the  hint;  so  I  had  to  make  a  clean 


52  EAELY  HISTOEY  OF  .THE 

breast  of  it  at  last.  I  soon  realized  my  inexperi- 
ence— alone,  on  an  old  circuit,  with  no  Hedding  or 
Baker  to  instruct  me  in  my  duties  in  enforcing  dis- 
cipline. In  no  subsequent  year  did  I  have  more 
Church  trials  to  conduct,  and  more  perplexing  busi- 
ness to  transact.  But  the  more  crushing  the  respons- 
ibilities, the  more  and  more  earnestly  did  I  pray. 
I  was  fortunate,  however,  in  at  last  having  the  ad- 
vice of  a  few  old  preachers  who  lived  on  the  circuit, 
and  got  through  the  year  without  any  charge  or 
suspicion  of  maladministration;  at  which  I  thanked 
God  and  took  courage. 

After  a  few  rounds  on  my  circuit  the  good  work 
began.  In  spite  of  a  three  weeks'  attack  of  pleu- 
risy, I  maintained  the  interest  unremitted.  Two 
camp  meetings  were  held.  At  the  first  Elder  Ham- 
ilton presided,  preaching  frequently  with  great  dem- 
onstration of  the  Spirit  and  of  power,  especially  in 
the  conversion  of  souls.  This  led  the  way  to  a 
second,  which  was  held  among  the  hills  of  Patoka. 
Brother  Hamilton  was  not  present,  but  the  local 
preachers — one  a  colored  man — rendered  most  effect- 
ive assistance.  I  had  heard  the  doctrine  of  sancti- 
fication  preached — the  first  time  by  William  Cra- 
vens— and  now,  believing  it  as  Scripture  doctrine, 
and  because  thousands  had  lived  in  its  enjoyments, 
I  preached  it  to  others  and  besought  it  for  myself. 
Before  the  meeting  closed,  I,  along  with  many  who 
heard  me,  was  blest  with  a  deep  experience  of  its 
truth.  God's  will  became  my  will,  and  I  learned  to 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  53 

live  in  him  continually.     All  my  soul  was  love,  and 
for  weeks  I  could  continually  sing, 

"  There 's  not  a  cloud  that  doth  arise 
To  hide  my  Savior  from  my  eyes." 

My  long  rides  this  year,  continually  breasting 
the  storms  of  a  very  cold  "Winter,  together  with  ex- 
posure in  open  houses,  brought  on  a  violent  attack 
of  pleurisy.  In  May  or  June  I  was  obliged  to  travel 
on  foot,  my  horse  having  become  lame. 

One  morning  I  left  brother  Joseph  Springer's  for 
Eome,  fifteen  miles  distant,  where  I  was  to  preach 
at  11  o'clock.  I  journeyed — carrying  saddle-bags 
and  great-coat — over  the  most  hilly  portion  of  Indi- 
ana. Calling  at  a  house  to  inquire  the  way,  the 
owner  was  kind  enough  to  assist  me  for  some  dis- 
tance across  a  stream,  and  as  we  journeyed  I  intro- 
duced the  subject  of  religion,  and  learned  his  relig- 
ious history,  which  was  substantially  as  follows : 
He  thought  religion  necessary,  and  believed  he  would 
have  experienced  it  had  brother  Hamilton  remained 
in  charge  of  the  district ;  "  For,"  said  he,  "  I  was 
at  a  certain  camp  meeting  where  he  preached,  and 
during  the  sermon  I  was  affected  with  chills,  alter- 
nating with  contractions  of  the  skin  on  my  head. 
The  preacher's  voice  was  soon  lost  in  a  general  shout, 
scores  of  penitent  sinners  exclaiming  as  one  man, 
'What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?'  Then  Hamilton 
paused  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  as  he  said,  to  '  let  the 
Lord  preach;'  then  he  began  again,  and  in  his  mild, 
pathetic  manner  told  of  the  goodness  of  God,  and 


54  EARLY  HISTORY  OP  THE 

of  the  sinner's  portion  if  he  did  not  repent;  and," 
said  the  friend,  "he  hurt  me  a  devilish  sight  worse 
than  when  he  preached  loud."  But,  deprived  of  his 
favorite  preacher,  he  was  still  in  his  sins,  in  which 
state  I  was  obliged  to  leave  him,  after  thanking  him 
for  his  kindness,  and  exhorting  him  to  go  directly 
to  God  for  the  blessing. 

Having  filled  my  appointment  at  Eome,  and  being 
unable  to  get  a  horse,  I  concluded  to  try  a  raft  on 
the  Ohio  Eiver.  I  soon  had  one  afloat,  reaching 
my  appointment,  twelve  miles  down,  in  good  time. 
I  reached  the  next  appointment — Troy — eighteen 
miles  further  down,  in  the  same  manner,  by  an  ex- 
tra use  of  the  paddle;  likewise,  the  next,  six  miles 
further  down.  Having  no  horse  yet,  I  failed  to 
reach  the  next  appointment,  sixteen  miles  distant, 
through  a  low,  wet  country;  so  I  took  my  way 
across  to  a  two  days'  meeting,  to  be  held  at  brother 
Moore's  the  next  Saturday  a.nd  Sabbath.  Here  I 
expected  to  meet  some  local  brethren;  but  none 
came,  and  the  work  all  came  on  me — four  sermons, 
besides  several  exhortations,  the  results  of  which 
were  very  encouraging. 

On  Monday  morning,  though  ill  prepared,  I  set 
out  through  a  wilderness  to  my  next  appointment, 
the  house  of  brother  Combes,  twenty  miles  away. 
After  a  vain  attempt  to  get  some  rest  at  noon, 
among  the  busy  subjects  of  the  musketo  kingdom, 
I  resumed  my  burden,  and  my  march  through  briers 
and  obstacles  numberless,  and  in  due  time  reached 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  55 

my  appointment.  How  glad  the  people  were  in 
those  days  to  see  their  preacher !  The  Gospel  feast 
was  a  feast  indeed,  generally  a  whole  month  between 
meals !  This  year  may  be  summed  up  as  a  total  of 
long,  hard  rides  and  great  labor,  both  of  preaching 
and  settling  Church  difficulties.  But  it  was  a  year  of 
great  spiritual  comfort;  not  only  for  what  I  gained 
in  it,  but  what  I  did,  with  God's  blessing,  for  others. 
The  membership  on  my  charge  had  increased  from 
346  to  436.  My  horse  never  quite  recovered,  and 
I  had  to  exchange  for  another. 

It  may  be  worth  while  to  remark  that  I  was  no 
exception  to  the  general  rule  in  regard  to  Methodist 
preachers  and  their  horses.  I  never  lost  a  horse  till 
I  had  traveled  twelve  years.  My  cash  receipts  for 
the  year  were  $40.  In  addition  to  the  camp  meet- 
ings already  spoken  of,  I  visited  another  on  the 
Blue  Eiver  circuit — preachers  in  attendance,  James 
Garner,  senior,  George  Hester,  and  Wm.  M'Eeynolds. 
My  efforts  here  were  attended  with  such  success 
that  one  brother  came  to  me,  and  said  that  if  I 
would  go  around  the  camp-ground  and  exhort,  the 
people  would  all  be  converted. 

I  returned  to  my  circuit  inspired  with  new  zeal 
for  my  work,  not  only  for  the  rest  of  the  year,  but 
for  the  next  year's  labors.  Returning  home  at  the 
end  of  the  year,  I  spent  a  few  days  there,  little 
thinking,  and  caring  less,  where  my  next  work  would 
lie,  and  what  it  would  be. 

The  Conference  was  a  large  one,  inclosing  Arkan- 


56  EARLY    HISTORY    OF  THE 

sas;  Missouri,  Illinois,  and  a  large  portion  of  Indiana; 
on  which  I  might  be  sent  800  miles  from  home, 
the  only  mode  of  reaching  my  destination  being  on 
horseback.  The  Conference  met  at  St.  Louis,  Octo- 
ber, 1823.  I  was  not  present ;  but  learned  in  a  few 
weeks  that  I  was  appointed  to  Lemoin  circuit — 
David  Sharp  presiding  elder — in  what  was  called  the 
Boone's  Lick  country;  the  distance  was  500  miles. 
Speedily  getting  my  little  effects  together,  I  set  out, 
leaving  a  circle  of  weeping  friends  and  neighbors, 
to  a  land  and  among  a  people  that  I  knew  not.  I 
crossed  the  Wabash  at  Vincennes,  and  soon  struck 
the  Grand  Prairie,  not  knowing  where  I  should  find 
resting  places,  and  Winter  close  at  hand. 

I  was  not  a  little  comforted  to  meet  brother 
Samuel  H.  Thompson — presiding  elder,  Illinois  dis- 
trict— late  one  evening,  on  his  way  to  a  quarterly 
meeting.  He  insisted  on  my  stopping  over  night 
with  him.  After  some  religious  conversation,  in 
which  he  gave  me  very  good  advice,  he  led  the 
family  prayers,  in  which  he  remembered  not  only 
me  but  my  horse — suggesting  what  Mr.  Wesley 
said,  that  when  he  prayed  for  his  horse,  he  never 
lost  any.  He  then  gave  me  a  "way-bill"  to  my 
circuit,  being  acquainted  with  the  whole  500  miles 
I  had  to  travel,  which  embraced  the  inhabited  por- 
tions of  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Missouri.  I  had  not 
traveled  far  the  next  day  before  I  encountered 
a  snow-storm,  which  continued  till  late  in  the 
evening. 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  57 

I  at  length  reached  old  brother  Padfield's,  where 
I  was  received  with  open  arms,  and  received  much 
assistance  in  preparing  for  my  journey.  I  preached 
before  I  left — my  first  sermon  I  preached  in  Illi- 
nois, some  forty-four  years  ago.  I  crossed  the  Mis- 
sissippi at  St.  Louis,  spending  the  Sabbath  with 
Eev.  John  Scripps,  for  whom  I  preached  in  the 
evening.  I  did  not  enjoy  much  liberty  in  this  my 
first  experience  in  the  "  pulpit,"  which  was  con- 
structed in  the  old  style,  about  six  feet  high  and 
four  feet  square.  I,  however,  did  my  best,  no  un- 
common thing,  perhaps;  for  if  a  preacher  has  not 
religion  enough  he  has  pride  enough  to  do  that. 

Next  morning  I  left,  crossing  the  river  at  St. 
Charles.  I  every-where  found  kind,  liberal  friends. 
Passing  through  brother  Redmond's  work — Boone's 
Lick  circuit — I  spent  Saturday  and  Sabbath  at  his 
quarterly  meeting.  Being  entirely  out  of  money,  I 
had  the  good  fortune  to  borrow  twenty-five  cents  to 
help  me  across  the  Missouri  River  to  my  circuit. 
My  horse  being  much  worn  down,  I  borrowed 
one  that  was  both  young  and  wild,  to  bear  me  on 
my  first  tour  of  my  work.  About  thirty  miles  from 
the  place  I  left  in  the  morning,  in  the  midst  of  a 
large  houseless  prairie,  my  horse  took  fright,  and 
jumping  from  under  me,  left  me  and  my  saddle-bags 
by  the  wayside.  In  his  haste  homeward,  he  soon 
left  the  saddle  also.  I  shouldered  both  and  traveled 
back  laboriously  to  the  first  house,  where  I  left 
them  and  went  on  after  the  horse.  Night  soon  over- 


58  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  THE 

took  me.  I  missed  my  way  and  wandered  I  knew 
not  whither,  till,  at  length,  I  found  myself  on  the 
banks  of  the  Missouri.  There  was  no  house  within 
two  miles.  It  was  very  dark  and  the  cold  was  be- 
coming intense.  At  length,  after  prolonged  halloo- 
ing, I  persuaded  the  people  to  come  over  for  me. 
I  spent  the  night  at  the  house  of  a  deist.  It  took 
all  the  little  money  I  had  to  pay  my  bill  and  ferriage 
back  in  the  morning.  I  presently  found  my  horse, 
which  had  been  stopped  by  a  friend,  and  mounting 
"  bareback,"  returned  to  where  I  had  left  my  sad- 
dle and  luggage,  and  went  on  visiting  my  appoint- 
ments, which  were  from  eight  to  fifteen  miles  apart. 
I  enjoyed  good  health,  and  was  generally  able  to 
meet  my  appointments  this  year. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  59 


CHAPTER   VI. 

IT  was  some  time  in  July  that  I  went  up  to  assist 
brother  Harris  of  the  Fishing  Eiver  circuit.  It 
was  the  first  camp  meeting  held  on  brother  Baxter's 
camp-ground,  near  Liberty,  about  one  hundred 
miles  up  the  Missouri.  Brother  Harris  and  myself 
were  the  only  Methodist  preachers  present;  and  we 
both  preached  and  exhorted  each  in  turn.  The 
meeting  grew  in  interest  till  Monday.  I  tried  to 
preach  on  that  day,  and  brother  Harris  was  to 
preach  a  funeral  sermon.  When  I  closed,  he  com- 
menced giving  out  the  hymn, 

"  And  am  I  born  to  die, 
To  lay  this  body  down  ?" 

When  he  came  to  the  second  verse, 

"  Soon  as  from  earth  I  go, 
What  will  become  of  me?" 

the  power  of  the  Almighty  came  down  in  such  a 
wonderful  manner  as  is  seldom  witnessed.  Brother 
Harris  fell  back  in  the  pulpit,  overcome  by  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  called  upon  me  to 
invite  the  people  forward  for  prayers.  During  my 
sermon  I  had  noticed  that  one  powerfully  built  man 
in  the  congregation  was  so  filled  with  the  power  of 
God,  that  it  was  with  difficulty  he  restrained  his 
feelings;  now  was  the  time  for  him  to  give  vent  to 


60  EAELY   HISTOEY   OF  THE 

his  feelings,  and  his  shouts  of  "  Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest !"  were  such  that  the  whole  congregation 
seemed  thrilled  with  the  "  power  of  God."  It  was 
as  if  a  current  of  electricity  ran  through  the 
assembly,  setting  on  fire  with  the  love  of  Jesus  each 
soul  in  Divine  presence. 

It  was  a  memorable  time.  The  whole  camp- 
ground was  convulsed,  and  the  invitation  was  no 
sooner  extended  than  the  mourners  came  pouring 
forward  in  a  body  for  prayers,  till  the  altar  was 
filled  with  weeping  penitents.  It  was  as  if  the 
shouts  of  his  "sacramental  hosts  were  heard  afar 
off."  The  meeting  continued  that  afternoon  and  all 
night.  Late  in  the  night  I  went  to  brother  Bax- 
ter's house  to  get  some  rest;  but  the  work  was  so 
urgent — sinners  weeping  all  over  the  camp-ground — 
that  I  was  sent  for  to  come  back  and  continue 
my  exertions ;  and  there  we  wrestled,  the  Christian 
and  the  sinner,  in  one  common  interest,  like  Jacob 
of  old,  "till  the  break  of  day."  On  Tuesday 
morning  scarcely  a  soul  remained  unconverted,  or 
not  seeking  pardon. 

The  next  Friday  my  camp  meeting  commenced, 
and  bid  fair  for  a  great  good;  till  a  preacher  of 
another  denomination,  who  craved  our  success,  re- 
quested the  privilege  of  preaching.  He  was  at  first 
denied,  but  he  urged  his  request  till  I  gave  him 
liberty  to  speak  on  Sabbath  evening.  His  words 
fell  with  such  a  dead  weight  on  the  congregation, 
and  at  the  close  of  his  sermon  so  little  interest  was 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  61 

felt,  that  we  were  obliged  to  close  the  meeting 
without  the  usual  invitations.  But  on  the  following 
morning  we  laid  hold  of  the  work  again.  My  faith 
was  strong  that  we  should  succeed,  and  victory  turn 
on  Israel's  side.  A  profane  man,  witnessing  the 
spirit  of  the  meeting,  remarked  with  an  oath  that 
"  Beggs  was  like  to  take  the  ground."  Our  meet- 
ing proved  a  blessing  to  the  class  and  neighborhood. 

I  finished  my  work  here  on  this  circuit  by  hold- 
ing a  camp  meeting.  On  my  way  to  Conference  I  at- 
tended a  camp  meeting,  held  by  E.  T.  Webster,  on 
the  St.  Louis  circuit.  We  had  good  preaching  and 
a  successful  meeting.  Leaving  the  camp-ground  we 
staid  over  night  with  brother  M'Alister,  and  the 
next  night  arrived  at  St.  Louis.  Here  for  the  first 
time  I  saw  Bishop  Soule. 

Our  Conference  in  1824  was  held  at  Padfield's, 
some  twenty  miles  east  of  St.  Louis.  We  had  with 
us  three  Bishops — M'Kendree,  Koberts,  and  Soule. 
It  was  the  first  Conference  I  ever  attended,  and  it 
was  a  very  profitable  time  to  me.  By  the  act  of 
the  General  Conference,  held  the  previous  May,  the 
Illinois  work  was  set  off  from  the  Missouri  Confer- 
ence, which  however  met,  agreeably  to  adjournment, 
at  the  same  place.  As  the  session  possesses  a  his- 
torical interest,  I  shall  give  in  this  chapter  an  ac- 
count of  its  proceedings.  After  the  introductory 
exercises,  conducted  by  Bishop  M'Kendree,  who 
presided,  the  roll  was  called,  and  about  a  dozen 
brethren  responded  to  their  names. 


62  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

Jesse  Hale  and  William  W.  Eedman  were  appointed 
Stewards,  and  J.  Dew,  James  Armstrong,  and  John 
Scripps  were  appointed  a  Committee  to  prepare  mem- 
oirs of  the  deceased  brethren.  A  resolution  was  in- 
troduced by  the  latter  Committee,  requesting  Bishop 
Soule  to  preach  on  the  camp-ground,  at  11,  A.  M., 
October  24th,  a  funeral  sermon,  in  memory  of  our 
much-revered  father  in  Christ,  William  Beauchamp. 
Bishop  Eoberts  then  formally  introduced  Bishop 
Soule  to  the  Conference,  the  members  of  which  rose 
to  receive  him.  The  Committee  also  requested 
Bishop  Eoberts  to  preach  the  funeral  of  brother 
Samuel  Glaze  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day.  The 
Committee  to  examine  candidates  for  admission  into 
full  membership  consisted  of  brothers  Thompson, 
Walker,  Scripps,  Armstrong,  and  Cord.  The  Bishop 
then  informed  the  Conference  that  Peter  Cartwright 
and  Andrew  Monroe,  elders  of  the  Kentucky  Con- 
ference, had,  by  transfer,  become  members  of  this 
Conference;  also,  by  transfer,  Uriel  Haw  and  Edwin 
Eay,  deacons  in  the  same  Conference;  also,  brother 
E.  J.  Dungan,  a  member  on  trial.  The  President 
announced  that  the  Conference  could  draw  on  the 
Book  Fund  for  $150,  and  on  the  Chartered  Fund 
for  $80. 

The  Conference  then  took  up  the. question,  "Who 
remained  on  trial  last  year?"  The  following  were 
examined  and  continued :  Orsenath  Fisher,  Andrew 
Lopp,  Edward  Smith,  James  E.  Johnson,  William 
Shores,  William  Moore,  John  Miller,  Benjamin  S. 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  63 

Ashby,  Joseph  Edmondson,  Rucker  Tanner.  The 
characters  of  the  deacons  were  then  considered,  and 
the  following  were  examined  and  passed :  David 
Chamberlin,  Dennis  Willey,  Ebenezer  T.  Webster, 
James  Bankson,  John  Glanville,  John  Blasdell.  The 
morning  session  was  concluded  by  prayer  by  J. 
Hale.  At  2,  P.  M.,  the  Conference  was  opened  by 
Bishop  Soule,  who  presided.  The  character  of  dea- 
cons was  taken  up,  and  William  W.  Redman,  H.  Vre- 
denburg,  George  K.  Hester,  and  William  M'Rey- 
nolds  were  examined,  approved,  and  elected.  The 
following  brethren  were  then,  on  recommendation, 
admitted:  George  Randle,  Samuel  Low,  Daniel  An- 
derson, James  Garner,  Jacob  Varner,  John  Fish, 
Shadrach  Casteel,  Cassell  Harrison,  Green  Orr,  Gil- 
bert Clark.  The  stewards  then  called  on  the  preach- 
ers for  their  claims  and  receipts,  and  Conference 
then  adjourned,  after  prayer  by  brother  Walker. 

At  9,  A.  M.,  Monday  the  25th,  brother  Roberts 
opened  by  prayer,  Bishop  Soule  in  the  chair.  The 
following  brethren  answered  to  their  names :  J.  Wal- 
ker, Jesse  Hale,  S.  H.  Thompson,  Thomas  Wright, 
J.  Scripps,  J.  Patterson.  John  Scripps  was  elected 
Secretary,  on  the  nomination  of  brother  Armstrong. 
Bishop  M'Kendree  then  announced  God's  afflictive 
dispensation  in  the  removal,  by  death,  of  our  highly 
esteemed  brethren  in  Christ,  William  Beauchamp 
and  Samuel  Glaze,  accompanying  the  announcement 
with  deeply  interesting  and  affecting  remarks.  Dur- 
ing his  remarks  the  Divine  presence  was  sensibly  felt. 


64  EARLY  HISTORY  OF   THE 

After  the  singing  of  a  suitable  hymn,  Bishops  Soule 
and  Roberts  severally  prayed.  Proceeding  to  busi- 
ness, Bishop  Roberts  in  the  chair,  S.  H.  Thompson 
and  John  Dew  were  appointed  a  Committee  to  super- 
intend Divine  service.  J.  Scripps,  Thomas  Davis, 
John  Harris,  J.  Cord,  T.  Medford,  Thomas  Rice, 
James  Armstrong,  J.  L.  Thompson,  Jesse  Green, 
A.  Munroe,  William  W.  Redman,  H.  Vredenburg, 
Davis  Willey,  E.  T.  Webster,  James  Bankson,  J. 
Glanville,  J.  Blasdell,  William  M'Reynolds,  U.  Haw, 
E.  Ray,  Samuel  Hull, -character  passed  and  elected 
deacons;  S.  R.  Beggs,  F.  B.  Leach,  Cornelius  Rud- 
dle, T.  Randle,  William  H.  Smith,  Isaac  N.  Piggott, 
examined  and  approved;  Deacon  George  Horn — 
transferred  from  the  Tennessee  Conference — examined 
and  approved.  Bishop  M'Kendree  then  addressed  the 
Conference  on  Missions. 

The  afternoon  session  was  opened  with  prayer  by 
Jesse  Hale,  Bishop  Roberts  in  the  chair.  The  follow- 
ing brethren  were  examined  and  approved  as  elders : 
Walker,  Thompson,  Hall,  Scripps,  Wright,  Patter- 
son, Harris,  Davis,  Cord,  Stephenson,  Sharp,  Dew, 
Green,  Cravens,  (superannuated,)  Medford,  (located,) 
Armstrong,  Thompson,  Ruter,  Hamilton,  Delap, 
and  Glaze,  (deceased.)  Richard  Har grave,  who  had 
traveled  under  the  elder — Beauchamp,  deceased — 
was,  on  recommendation,  admitted.  J.  Scripps  was 
superannuated.  A  resolution  was  passed  .requesting 
Bishop  Roberts  to  furnish  his  funeral  discourse — of 
Beauchamp — for  publication.  Jesse  Walker,  mission- 


WEST   AND   NORTH-WEST.  65 

ary  of  the  Missouri  Conference,  reported  in  regard  to 
his  work  among  the  Indians.  On  motion  of  brother 
Dew,  brother  Walker's  mission  was  continued  under 
the  patronage  of  the  Illinois  Conference. 

At  the  afternoon  session,  Charlestown  was  fixed 
upon  as  the  place  of  the  next  meeting  of  the  Confer- 
ence, August  25th.  The  Missouri  Conference  was 
appointed  to  meet  August  4th.  On  Tuesday  morn- 
ing the  Conference  adjourned. 

The  ninth  session  of  the  Illinois  Conference  was 
held  September  5,  1832,  Bishop  Soule  presiding.  It 
had  twenty-five  members,  of  whom  six  are  still  living : 
Peter  Cartwright,  A.  L.  Eisley,  John  Vancleve,  S. 
E.  Beggs,  Eobert  Delap,  J.  S.  Barger.  I  extract  a 
curious  item  from  the  minutes  of  the  tenth  Illinois 
Conference,  held  at  Union  Grove,  September  28, 
1833,  Peter  Cartwright  in  the  chair.  After  prayer 
by  Samuel  Mitchell,  the  following  resolution  was 
introduced  by  brothers  S.  H.  Thompson  and  Stith 
M.  Otwell :  "  That  we,  the  members  of  the  Illinois 
Conference,  do  agree  to  wear  hereafter  plain,  straight- 
breasted  coats."  The  yeas  and  nays  were  called, 
with  the  following  result:  Yeas — Taylor,  M'Kean, 
Massey,  Hadley,  Fox,  Mavity,  Barger,  Eobertson, 
Vancleve,  Thompson,  Eandle,  James  Walker,  Deneen, 
Otwell,  Beggs,  Mitchell,  Benson,  Peter,  Hale,  Eoyal, 
(21).  Nays — French,  Phelps,  Cartwright,  Eoylston, 
Sinclair,  Trotter,  Crawford,  Fisher,  Jesse  Walker, 
Starr,  Dew,  (11). 

The  ministers  of  that  day  held  to   plainness  of 


66  EAKLY  HISTORY   OF   THE 

dress,  both  for  male  and  female,  the  straight  coat 
and  plain  bonnet  being  insisted  on  by  many.  After 
a  considerable  debate,  we  agreed,  before  taking  the 
above  vote,  to  have  brother  Samuel  Mitchell  deliver 
an  address  on  the  plain,  straight-breasted  coat — old 
Methodist  style. 

One  of  the  voters  for  the  straight  coat  was  ap- 
pointed agent  of  M'Kendree  College.  In  visiting 
some  of  the  eastern  and  southern  cities  he  for  some 
reason  changed  the'  cut  of  his  coat,  and  returned  to 
Conference  the  next.  Fall  in  a  frock-coat.  The 
brothers  were  quite  astonished,  and  must  know  the 
reason,  as  he  had  been  among  the  most  strenuous  in 
contending  for  the  straight  coat.  He  took  the  op- 
portunity, a  great  many  questions  being  asked,  to 
explain  to  the  Conference  in  a  body.  He  said,  ad- 
dressing Bishop  Roberts,  who  presided :  "  As  a  num- 
ber of  the  brethren  have  asked  me  my  reasons  for 
changing  the  cut  of  my  coat,  I  wish  to  state  that  I 
have  been  reading  Mr.  Wesley  on  dress;  and  he 
does  not  fix  upon  any  fashion  or  cut  of  coat,  only 
let  it  be  comfortable  and  plain.  This  frock-coat 
which  I  wear  comes  as  near  fulfilling  that  recom- 
mendation as  any  thing  I  can  fix  upon."  The  Bishop 
replied  in  his  pleasant  vein,  telling  the  brother  that 
he  reminded  him  of  a  man  who  was  made  a  Calvin- 
ist  by  reading  Mr.  Fletcher's  writings.  The  anec- 
dote was  so  applicable,  that  the  brother  wished  no 
further  time  for  explanation,  and  retired  amid  a 
roar  of  laughter. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  67 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  Missouri  Conference  being  divided,  as  stated 
in  the  last  chapter,  I  was  still  continued  in  the 
Missouri  division,  and  was  appointed  to  Fishing 
River  circuit.  There  were  eighteen  preachers  then 
stationed  in  the  Missouri  Conference.  Jesse  Hale 
was  my  presiding  elder.  Members  returned,  143. 

It  was  a  great  trial  for  me  to  be  absent  another 
year  from  parents  and  friends.  To  visit  them  would 
necessitate  a  ride  of  six  hundred  miles,  and  I  should 
then  be  three  hundred  miles  from  my  circuit.  Win- 
ter was  close  at  hand.  I  made  it  a  subject  of  prayer, 
and,  after  many  tears  and  struggles,  resolved  to 
give  up  all  for  the  Master's  sake.  In  company  with 
brother  Benjamin  Ashby,  I  set  my  face  westward. 
We  journeyed  on  together  very  pleasantly,  some- 
times preaching  in  the  evening  when  an  opportunity 
offered. 

One  evening,  having  found  a  resting-place  rather 
earlier  than  usual,  we  sent  out  runners  to  call  the 
people  together  for  evening  service.  We  soon  had 
a  house  full,  and  it  was  decided  that  brother  Ashby 
should  preach  and  I  exhort,  as  was  the  custom  in 
those  days.  Being  exceedingly  weary,  and  having 
a  comfortable  seat,  I  soon  fell  asleep.  Brother  Ashby's 
voice  failed  him  in  the  midst  of  his  discourse  and 


68  EARLY  HISTORY   OF  THE 

he  called  upon  me.  Some  one  who  sat  near  had 
been  kind  enough  to  awaken  me,  and  after  rubbing 
my  eyes  I  took  his  place,  supposing  he  had  finished 
his  sermon.  I  told  them  I  supposed  they  had  heard 
enough  from  the  preacher  if  they  would  improve  it ; 
yet,  if  they  would  bear  with  me,  I  would  exhort 
for  a  short  time.  Very  soon  there  seemed  to  be  a 
deep  interest  felt,  and  loud  responses  of  "Amen" 
were  heard,  and  from  the  "amens"  the  responses 
arose  to  a  shout.  Many  were  greatly  blessed,  and 
it  was  an  occasion  of  benefit  to  all. 

After  brother  Ashby  left  me  I  was  almost  alone 
till  I  reached  my  circuit.  I  had  scarcely  commenced 
my  labor,  when  a  deep  snow  fell.  My  appointments 
were  far  apart;  the  country  new;  the  roads  often 
blind,  or,  worse,  none  at  all,  so  that  it  was  very 
hard  getting  back  and  forth  from  the  stations.  My 
circuit  extended  about  seventy  miles  along  the  Mis- 
souri Eiver,  embracing  some  of  the  settlements 
west  of  the  State  line.  I  crossed  the  river  twice 
in  every  journey,  and  once  on  a  bridge  of  boards 
thrown  across  two  canoes. 

My  quarterage  this  year  was  twenty-three  dollars. 
My  clothing  that  I  had  brought  from  home  was  by 
this  time  so  nearly  worn  out  that  it  was  necessary 
to  replace  it  with  new.  Some  of  the  sisters  spun 
wool,  and  made  me  a  coat  of  blue  and  white  cotton, 
a  pair  of  white  cotton  pants,  and  one  of  mixed. 
One  of  the  brothers  gave  me  his  old  hat,  which  I 
got  pressed,  and  then  I  was  fitted  out  for  Confer- 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  69 

ence.  It  was  held  on  the  fourth  of  August,  1825, 
at  Bailey's  meeting-house,  Sabine  Creek,  Missouri. 
The  weather  was  very  warm  and  the  roads  dusty, 
and,  by  the  time  I  had  reached  my  journey's  end, 
my  new  coat  had  changed  from  its  original  color  to 
a  dusty  brown.  There  were,  however,  kind  hands 
and  willing  hearts  who  soon  set  me  to  rights.  Un- 
der the  combined  influence  of  soap  and  water  my 
coat  came  out  as  good  as  new,  and,  thanks  to  the 
"Marthas"  of  modern  times,  "who  care  for  many 
things,"  I  appeared  in  the  Conference  room  next 
morning,  looking  quite  respectable. 

During  the  Conference,  Bishop  Koberts  requested 
all  the  preachers  who  wished  any  private  conversa- 
tion with  him  to  stay  behind;  I  was  among  several 
who  had  requests  to  make,  and  when  my  time  came 
to  speak,  I  asked  for  a  transfer  to  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference. My  request  was  granted,  and  I  started  on 
a  journey  to  Charlestown,  Indiana,  where  the  Con- 
ference met  this  year.  On  my  way,  I  fell  in  with 
Samuel  H.  Thompson  and  Jesse  Walker,  at  a  camp 
meeting  near  Padfield's,  and  a  most  glorious  time  we 
had  there.  On  our  way,  near  Mount  Carmel,  Illi- 
nois, we  attended  another  camp  meeting,  and  the 
gracious  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  converted  many 
souls,  and  quickened  the  believers.  The  meeting 
closed,  and  we  journeyed  on,  reaching  Conference  the 
first  day  after  its  session.  I  was  then  within  five 
miles  of  my  father's  house.  My  parents  and  family 
were  all  at  the  Conference,  but  attending  Divine 


70  EAKLY   HISTOEY   OF   THE 

service  at  Church.  On  hearing  of  my  arrival,  after 
two  years  of  absence,  they  all  left  the  meeting,  and 
ran  to  greet  the  long-absent  son.  It  was  like  the 
meeting  of  Joseph  and  his  brethren.  Weary  and 
worn  by  sickness,  with  my  travel-stained  garments, 
they  hardly  recognized  me. 

After  resting  a  few  days,  and  receiving  from  my 
father  a  better  suit  of  clothes,  I  started  for  my  new 
circuit  at  Eushville,  John  Strange  presiding  elder. 
It  lay  mostly  on  Blue  Eiver,  and  east  to  Greens- 
burg.  This  was  a  four  weeks'  circuit ;  appointments 
scattered  over  a  large  and  thinly  settled  country, 
with  mud  and  high  water,  at  some  seasons  of  the 
year  almost  impassable.  The  principal  villages  were 
Eushville,  Greensburg,  New  Castle,  West  Liberty — 
now  Knightstown — and  Shelbyville.  At  the  three 
last-named  places,  we  had  a  good  work,  especially 
at  West  Liberty.  Twenty  or  thirty  of  the  leading 
inhabitants  were  converted  and  joined  the  Church. 
We  held  a  camp  meeting  under  the  charge  of  the 
presiding  elder,  near  West  Liberty.  Brother  Strange 
preached  at  the  opening  of  the  meeting,  and,  in  one 
of  his  prophetic  and  electrifying  strains,  told  us  that 
God  would  convert  many  souls  then  within  hearing 
of  his  voice.  Saturday,  in  the  afternoon,  he  arose 
to  advertise  the  order  of  exercises;  and,  seemingly 
without  intention,  began  to  exhort.  One  thought 
led  to  another,  and  in  a  very  few  minutes  the  whole 
encampment  was  trembling  and  crying.  Several 
souls  were  happily  converted  to  God ;  and  from  this 


WEST  AND   NOETH-WEST.  71 

to  the  close  of  the  meeting  we  had  a  succession  of 
conversions,  some  of  which  were  most  powerful 
and  clear;  many  of  the  believers  were  quickened 
with  such  blessings  of  full  salvation  that  its  fruits 
may  be  seen  at  the  present  day.  My  last  quarterly 
meeting  was  also  a  camp  meeting,  and  we  had  a  sea- 
son long  to  be  remembered. 

I  seldom  left  a  circuit  where  the  people  seemed 
more  unwilling  to  give  me  up.  This  year  I  attended 
four  camp  meetings — two  on  my  own — one  in 
Connersville  circuit,  and  the  other  one  mile  east  of 
Indianapolis.  This  was  on  my  way  to  Conference. 
John  Strange,  James  Havens,  and  others,  with  my- 
self, were  the  preachers.  0  what  a  blessing  we 
received!  The  meeting,  closed  on  Monday,  with 
many  converts. 

On  our  way  to  Bloomington,  where  Conference 
was  to  sit  that  year,  as  Strange  and  myself  were 
ri'ding  along  together,  a  stranger  rode  up  by  my 
side,  and  in  conversation  with  us  soon  found  out 
that  we  were  preachers.  Our  plain  coats,  saddle- 
bags, and  other  equipage  might  have  told  him  that. 
He  turned  to  me  and  said,  "  Your  name  is  Strange?" 
"No!"  said  I,  turning  to  my  companion,  "that  is 
the  Eev.  Mr.  Strange."  He  seemed  a  little  con- 
fused at  his  mistake,  and  had  no  more  to  say  to 
me,  but  addressed  his  conversation  to  brother 
Strange. 

This  year  our  members  numbered  two  hundred 
and  eight.  Bishops  Eoberts  and  Soule  were  with 


72  EARLY   HISTORY  OF  THE 

us,  and  our  Conference  was  exceedingly  pleasant  and 
profitable  to  me.  John  Strange  was  a  man  of  sur- 
passing personal  beauty,  eloquence,  and  piety.  Once, 
at  the  close  of  the  sermon,  he  administered  the  sac- 
rament. After  a  most  impressive  introduction,  he 
was  greatly  annoyed  by  some  boys  throwing  nut- 
shells over  the  floor.  Starting  suddenly,  as  if  awak- 
ening from  a  reverie,  he  said,  "Did  I  say  Christ  was 
the  Son  of  God?  He  is,  to  the  humble,  penitent 
believer;  but  to  you" — pointing  with  his  long  fin- 
ger toward  the  young  men — "  to  you,  sinner,  arouse 
him,  and  he  is  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah ;  and, 
by  the  slightest  exertion  of  his  power,  could  dash 
you  deeper  in  damnation  than  a  sunbeam  can  fly  in 
a  million  of  ages!"  The  effect  was  awful;  the 
transition  from  the  gentle  and  pathetic  to  the  ter- 
rible was  so  unexpected  that  one  of  the  young  men 
afterward  said  that  he  felt  his  hair  raise  on  end  at 
the  imagination  of  himself  going  with  the  velocity  of 
thought  toward  the  doleful  regions.  The  leader^  of 
the  disturbers  is  still  living,  and  is  a  worthy  mem- 
ber of  the  Church  in  Lafayette. 

This  ended  the  year  1826.  At  the  Conference  1 
received  my  appointment  to  Vincennes  circuit, 
Charles  Holliday  presiding  elder.  I  had  a  labori- 
ous year.  The  circuit  lay  one  hundred  miles  along 
the  Wabash  Kiver.  Samuel  Cooper  was  my  assist- 
ant, supplied  by  the  presiding  elder.  Our  stations 
consisted  of  all  the  principal  towns  from  Vincennes 
up  to  Cole  Creek. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  73 

This  year  I  attended  four  camp  meetings.  One 
of  them  was  my  own,  and  a  precious  time  we  had. 
On  Sabbath  afternoon  Joseph  Oglesby  preached  a 
most  powerful  sermon  from  the  words,  "The  Master 
is  come,  and  calleth  for  thee."  No  words  of  mine 
could  do  the  sermon  justice.  It  seemed  as  if  every 
sentence  uttered  was  a  direct  inspiration  from  on 
high.  It  was  the  eloquence  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
it  came  with  power.  I  felt  that  I  could  not  preach 
for  a  week  afterward. 

This  year  we  had  efficient  help  from  the  local 
preachers,  J.  M.  Baker,  Samuel  Hull,  and  Hugh  Eoss, 
all  good  preachers;  the  two  former  having  served 
in  the  ranks  of  the  itinerancy.  "We  had  several  re- 
vivals this  year,  some  unpleasant  occurrences  also. 
At  a  watch-night  meeting,  held  at  Carlyle,  some 
graceless  scamps  shaved  the  tail  of  brother  Coop- 
er's horse,  and,  to  add  to  our  mortification,  followed 
us  with  derisive  shouts,  as  we  were  passing  out  of 
town.  This  year  I  came  nearer  getting  my  quar- 
terage than  any  previous  one.  It  amounted  to  near 
ninety  dollars.  The  membership  numbered  442.  I 
found  brother  Holliday,  my  presiding  elder,  a  great 
help  in  establishing  me  in  the  work  of  holiness  of 
heart.  What  a  man  of  God  was  he!  A  Methodist 
preacher  in  very  truth.  I  am  afraid  I  should  have 
gone  astray  had  lie  not  held  me  to  the  virtue  of 
wearing  plain  apparel. 

Our  Conference  was  held  this  year,  1827,  at  Mt. 
Carmel,  Illinois.  I  was  one  among  the  forty  preachers 


74  EAELY   HISTOEY  OF   THE 

who  left  Vincennes  to  attend  Conference.  Bishop 
Roberts  presided,  and  we  had  a  pleasant  and  prof- 
itable session.  John  Strange  preached  one  of  the 
most  powerful  sermons  here  that  I  ever  heard  from 
him  or  fr  *m  any  one.  Several  older  preachers  re- 
marked that  he  excelled  even  himself,  and  it  was 
said  by  those  capable  of  judging,  that  he  was  more 
eloquent  than  Henry  Bascom.  His  text  was,  "  Be- 
hold, I  send  you  forth  as  sheep  among  wolves."  To 
those  of  us  who  had  taken  our  lives  in  our  hands, 
and  gone  forth  as  pioneers  in  the  wilderness  to 
preach  the  Word  of  God,  the  text  came  home  to  our 
very  hearts,  and,  more  especially,  when  it  was  so 
ably  dwelt  upon  by  one  who  had  shared  our  perils. 
The  leading  preachers  at  that  time  were  Strange, 
Calvin  Euter,  A.  Wiley,  Jas.  Armstrong,  Peter  Cart- 
wright,  S.  H.  Thompson,  A.  Wood,  Kichard  Har- 
grave,  C.  Holliday,  S.  C.  Cooper,  and  Jesse  Walker. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  75 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  next  year,  1828,  I  was  sent  to  Wayne  circuit, 
on  which  Kichmond  and  Centerville  were  the  prin- 
cipal towns.  My  circuit  bordered  on  the  Ohio  State 
line.  William  Evans  was  my  colleague,  and  John 
Strange  my  presiding  elder.  This  was  a  four  weeks' 
circuit,  and  in  it  I  preached  nearly  every  day,  and 
often  twice  a  day.  I  -found  here  some  as  devout 
Christians  as  I  ever  met,  and  often  took  encourage- 
ment by  their  holy  walk  and  godly  conversation.  It 
was  here,  also,  that  I  fell  into  doubts,  and  for  six 
months  there  hung  a  deep  gloom  over  my  mind.  I 
think  that  if  ever  I  labored  to  save  souls  it  was 
during  this  great  darkness  and  fearful  struggle  with 
the  archenemy.  This  struggle  continued  till  I  vis- 
ited my  parents,  in  Clark  county,  Indiana.  Here, 
one  evening  while  retiring  for  secret  prayer  in  the 
old  familiar  place  where  I  had  wrestled  many  hours 
in  prayer  to  God,  I  passed  through  another  great 
struggle,  and  the  day  dawned,  the  clouds  broke 
away,  my  sky  became  clear.  For  six  months  my 
peace  was  like  a  river,  and  I  still  lived  an  expectant 
of  a  better  world. 

This  year  I  held  a  protracted  meeting  in  Eich- 
mond,  assisted  by  some  of  the  local  preachers.  We 
were  very  successful.  Some  of  the  Quakers  joined 


76  EARLY  HISTORY   OF  THE 

us,  and  the  children  of  infidel  parents  were  soundly 
converted  to  God.  Here  I  administered  the  rite  of 
baptism  in  Whitewater — the  first  time,  at  that  point, 
that  the  waters  of  the  forest  stream  had  ever  served 
that  holy  purpose. 

Brother  William  C.  Smith  gives  a  full  account  of 
this  meeting,  which  he  introduces  with  a  reference 
to  the  prosperity  that  attended  my  labors  on  the 
circuit  at  large.  Now  that  a  two  days'  meeting 
was  announced  for  Eichmond,  he  says,  the  attention 
of  the  people  generally  turned  in  that  direction.  A 
Methodist  meeting  was  something  new  to  most  of 
the  citizens,  and  created  no  little  excitement,  partly 
because  they  were  curious  to  know  what  it  would 
be  like,  and  partly  because  these  "hireling  preach- 
ers" were  about  to  disturb  the  quiet  of  the  place. 
Some  were  anxious  to  keep  the  people  from  attend- 
ing, and  others  to  see  the  great  sight.  The  meet- 
ing was  held  in  the  brick  school-house  on  the  public 
square. 

When  the  time  appointed  arrived  the  Methodists 
came  in  from  different  parts  of  the  circuit.  Mr. 
Beggs  and  two  or  three  other  local  preachers  were 
in  attendance.  At  their  first  coming  together  there 
was  a  very  good  congregation,  and  an  excellent  ser- 
mon was  preached — one  that  stirred  the  hearts  of 
the  people  to  their  very  depths,  and  kindled  anew 
the  holy  fire.  At  the  close  of  the  sermon  the  tide 
of  feeling  was  running  so  high  that  the  songs  and 
shouts  of  the  congregation  were  heard  at  quite  a 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  77 

distance.  This  increased  the  excitement  in  the  town, 
and  at  night  the  school-house  was  crowded.  The 
Holy  Ghost  attended  the  Word  that  was  preached, 
and  also  the  exhortations  that  followed.  An  invita- 
tion was  extended,  and  five  or  six  presented  them- 
selves as  seekers  of  salvation.  This  was  a  strange 
sight  to  many  in  the  house.  The  pious  gathered 
around  the  penitents,  singing  and  praying  till  a 
late  hour. 

On  Sunday  morning  a  love-feast  was  held,  and  it 
was  a  time  of  great  power  and  of  religious  enjoy- 
ment. At  its  close  there  was  an  invitation  given  to 
those  that  wished  to  unite  with  the  Church.  Sev- 
eral came  forward.  Among  the  number  were  three 
sisters,  the  Misses  K.,  belonging  to  one  of  the  first 
families  in  the  town.  Their  father  was  rather  in- 
clined to  infidelity.  He  had  taken  great  pains  to 
educate  and  prepare  his  daughters  to  move  in  the 
first  circles  in  society,  not  dreaming  that  they  would 
ever  become  Methodists.  When  the  young  ladies 
came  forward  some  evil-designing  person  on  the  out- 
side, who  saw  through  the  window  what  was  going 
on  within,  hastened  to  Mr.  K.  and  told  him  that  the 
Methodists  had  got  his  daughters  befooled,  and  that 
they  were  acting  disreputably,  lying  prostrate  upon 
the  floor,  etc.  This  statement,  of  course,  exasper- 
ated Mr.  K.  very  highly,  and  he  immediately  made 
his^way  to  the  school-house  where  the  love-feast  was, 
and  demanded  admittance.  The  door-keepers,  not 
knowing  who  he  was,  refused  to  let  him  enter.  He 


78  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

forced  open  the  door,  and  went  in  trembling  with 
rage.  Going  to  where  his  daughters  sat  weeping,  he 
took  them  by  the  hand  and  led  them  away.  As 
they  were  going  out  the  prayer,  in  subdued  tones, 
Lord,  have  mercy  on  their  souls,  was  heard  in  sev- 
eral places  in  the  congregation.  When  they  reached 
home  with  their  father,  and  explained  to  him  that 
all  that  they  had  done  was  to  unite  with  the  Church, 
he,  upon  learning  the  deception  which  had  been  prac- 
ticed upon  him,  at  once  led  them  back  to  the  school- 
house,  and  to  the  seat  whence  he  had  taken  them. 
He  then  went  to  Eev.  Mr.  Beggs,  and  requested  him 
to  make  an  explanation  of  his  course  and  offer  an 
apology  for  him  that  morning  to  the  public.  He 
remained  to  hear  the  sermon,  and  at  its  close  asked 
the  preacher  home  to  dine  with  him.  He  expressed 
an  entire  willingness,  since  it  was  the  wish  of  his 
daughters,  that  they  should  become  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  They  did  so,  and  have 
long  been  pious  and  influential  members.  Thus  Sa- 
tan was  thwarted  in  his  design,  and  preaching  con- 
tinued for  some  time,  resulting  in  much  good. 

At  the  close  of  these  meetings  there  were  several 
applicants  for  the  rite  of  baptism ;  some  wished  for 
pouring,  others  for  sprinkling,  and  one  wished  to 
be  immersed.  As  we  went  down  to  the  stream  for 
the  purpose  of  baptism,  it  was  just  at  the  close  of 
a  quarterly  meeting  held  by  the  Quakers.  Some  of 
them  were  on  their  way  home,  and  had  to  cross  the 
stream  just  below  the  place  which  I  had  chosen  for 


WEST   AND   NORTH-WEST.  79 

the  rite.  They  stopped  in  the  stream  to  witness 
the  sight,  it  being  the  first  that  had  ever  taken 
place  in  that  region.  Some  of  the  young  Quaker 
boys  ran,  whooped,  and  hallooed  as  if  they  were  go- 
ing to  a  fair.  So  great  was  the  curiosity  of  the 
people,  that  they  had  collected  by  hundreds  at  the 
water's  edge,  and  stood  from  fifteen  to  twenty  deep 
along  shore.  One  man  took  up  a  large  boy  and 
waded  several  feet  into  the  water,  that  he  might 
have  a  better  view.  As  I  was  leading  the  sister 
out,  I  found  that  this  man  had  roiled  the  water, 
•and  I  asked  him  to  change  his  position;  he  did  so 
by  going  farther  into  the  stream.  After  the  im- 
mersion, the  sister  came  out,  shouting  and  praising 
the  Lord. 

As  an  instance  of  the  rudeness  of  the  times,  I 
heard,  mingled  with  these  sounds,  also  the  shouts  of 
laughter  from  some  of  the  bystanders ;  and  on  turn- 
ing to  see  from  whence  they  came,  I  discovered  that 
the  man  in  the  water  had  made  a  misstep,  and  had 
with  his  boy  fallen  backward  into  the  water;  I 
waved  my  hand,  and  all  were  quiet,  but  none  seemed 
sorry. 

We  closed  this  year  with  a  powerful' union  camp 
meeting.  The  preachers  present  were  John  Strange 
and  James  B.  Finley,  presiding  elders;  George  Mai- 
lory,  Thomas  L.  Hitt,  and  others.  The  Lord  was 
present,  and  we  felt  his  power  to  arouse  sinners 
to  conviction  and  to  grant  them  pardoning  mercy. 
The  meeting  proved  a  great  blessing  to  the  circuit. 


80  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

Near  the  close  of  this  year  I  was  brought  very 
low,  by  a  violent  attack  of  bilious  fever;  and  when 
my  life  was  despaired  of  I  was  visited  by  brother 
Strange,  who  prayed  with  us,  and  for  me  especially. 
I  dated  my  recovery  from  that  day;  and  when  I 
met  brother  Strange  at  Madison,  in  the  Conference 
room,  he  grasped  my  hand  and  said,  "  There  is  no 
man  on  the  Conference  floor  whom  it  gives  me 
greater  joy  to  meet  than  you."  It  was  no  less  a 
matter  of  rejoicing  to  me  that  I  had  been  spared; 
that  another  year's  labor  had  closed;  that  I  had  been 
faithful  to  my  calling,  in  the  midst  of  my  trials 
and  afflictions,  and  that  I  could  yet  look  to  Jesus 
for  my  exceeding  great  reward.  Brother  Eoberts 
presided  in  his  usual  pleasant  and  agreeable  man- 
ner, very  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  present. 
In  order  to  prepare  us  for  our  different  fields  of 
labor,  he  addressed  us  in  a  solemn  and  impressive 
manner,  which  I  shall  never  forget.  The  whole 
Conference  was  in  tears,  and  every  man  seemed 
ready  for  any  field  of  labor'  that,  in  God's  good 
providence,  might  be  assigned  to  him. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  81 


CHAPTER   IX. 

THIS  year,  1829,  I  was  sent  to  the  Crawfordsville 
circuit,  brother  Strange  presiding  elder.  I  soon 
reached  my  field  of  labor,  and  commenced  in  truth 
to  be  a  successful  Methodist  minister.  I  was  alone 
in  the  work  on  a  four  weeks'  circuit,  which  em- 
braced the  following  towns,  in  the  order  given : 
Crawfordsville  and  Lafayette;  from  thence  to  Del- 
phi and  on  to  Logansport;  once  out  to  Fort  Wayne, 
and  back  to  Attica;  then  down  to  Portland  and 
Covington.  My  general  health  was  good,  although 
I  was  confined  for  about  three  weeks  in  Crawfords- 
ville with  chills  and  fever.  Lafayette  was  very 
new  at  that  time,  having  only  five  brethren  and  a 
class  of  twenty  members.  We  had  several  revivals, 
one  especially  in  Crawfordsville,  where  I  was  assisted 
by  brother  James  Armstrong. 

This  revival  gave  a  new  impetus  to  Methodism 
in  that  place,  which  was  for  some  time  afterward 
the  prevailing  denomination  in  the  town.  Our  camp 
meeting  was  also  a  success.  Strange,  Armstrong, 
and  others  were  present.  The  object  of  our  preach- 
ing was  to  convert  souls,  and  our  brethren  were 
mighty  in  prayer.  The  result  was  that  convictions 
followed  fa*b  upon  each  other,  till  its  close.  I  left 
in  company  with  brother  Armstrong  on  the  way 


82  EAELY   HISTORY   OP  THE 

to  Conference,  which  was  to  be  held  at  Edwards- 
ville,  Madison  county,  Illinois,  September  18,  1829. 
"We  soon  met  with  other  preachers,  and  before 
we  reached  Conference  our  company  increased  to 
twenty.  We  journeyed  together  three  hundred 
miles  on  horseback,  and  enjoyed  our  ride  very  much. 
Traveling  in  those  days  had  many  pleasant  features, 
but  sometimes  those  which  were  not  so  pleasant. 

At  one  place  where  we  staid  over  night,  our 
horses  were  fed  upon  oats,  mixed  with  castor  beans. 
The  result  was  that  several  of  them  were  sick  and 
unfit  for  use  the  next  morning.  We  hired  what 
horses  could  be  obtained,  and  used  some  of  ours 
that  were  sick,  and  at  last  found  ourselves  at  Con- 
ference safe,  and  in  good  time.  We  were  very 
pleasantly  entertained,  and  a.  more  agreeable  com- 
pany of  brethren  I  have  seldom  met  than  those  at 
the  Conference  at  Edwardsville;  Bishop  Soule  pre- 
sided, and  did  so  most  acceptably.  On  Sabbath 
morning  he  preached  a  very  excellent  sermon. 
John  Strange  and  James  Armstrong  followed  in  the 
afternoon.  Their  efforts  were  attended  with  great 
power.  While  Strange  was  preaching,  the  congre- 
gation almost  involuntarily  arose  to  their  feet,  and 
shouted  "Halleluiah!"  till  their  deafening  hosan- 
nas  almost  drowned  the  voice  of  the  preacher.  He 
was  in  turn  affected  by  their  enthusiasm,  and  sat 
down,  shouting  "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest!"  At 
this  session  a  collection  of  one  hundred^ dollars  was 
taken  up  for  superannuated  preachers. 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  83 

From  this  Conference  I  was  sent  to  Logansport 
mission,  embracing  Lafayette,  Delphi,  and  Logans- 
port.  With  this  charge  I  had  an  appropriation  of 
fifty  dollars  missionary  money.  I  remained  here  till 
the  first  quarterly  meeting,  and  then  my  presiding 
elder,  J.  Strange,  removed  me  to  Bloomington  cir- 
cuit. I  had  Jesse  Hale  for  rny  colleague.  We  had  a 
prosperous  year,  and  a  number  of  conversions.  We 
visited  several  camp  meetings,  every-where  meeting 
with  great  success.  It  was  a  four  weeks'  circuit, 
and  numbered  seven  hundred  and  eight  members. 
We  came  nearer  getting  our  quarterage  than  we 
ever  had  since  I  began  my  labor,  each  receiving 
one  hundred  dollars.  We.  left  here,  I  trust,  with 
seals  to  our  ministry  and  spiritual  profit  to  our 
souls. 

Our  next  Annual  Conference  was  held  at  Vin- 
cennes.  Bishop  Roberts  was  taken  sick  at  St.  Louis. 
S.  H.  Thompson  and  Peter  Cartwright  were  pres- 
idents pro  tern.  The  Conference  was  very  pleas- 
ant, and  ended  in  a  manner  very  satisfactory  to  all 
of  the  brethren.  I  was  sent  to  the  Tazewell  cir- 
cuit. After  spending  a  few  days  with  my  parents 
I  started  for  my  circuit,  in  company  with  A.  E. 
Phelps.  Our  circuits  joined  each  other,  and  lay 
on  the  Sangamon  River.  We  were  in  good  time  for 
our  work,  and  during  the  year  had  several  pleasant 
interviews.  Mine  was  a  four  weeks'  circuit,  and 
very  laborious.  There  were  twenty-eight  appoint- 
ments, including  a  distance  of  more  than  three 


84  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

hundred  miles  travel.     We   had  a  most  delightful 
Fall,  which  lasted  till  near  Christmas. 

The  most  prominent  places  were  Peoria,  Hollen's 
Grove,  now  Washington ;  Mud  Creek,  Walnut 
Grove,  Mackinaw  Town,  Stout's  Grove,  Dry  Grove, 
Blooming  Grove,  now  Bloomington ;  Randolph  Grove, 
Big  Grove,  Cherry  Grove;  from  thence  down  Salt 
Creek  to  the  Falling  Timber  country ;  brother  Beck's 
on  Sugar  Creek,  Hit  tie's  Grove,  and  Dillon's,  where 
I  had  two  appointments;  from  there  I  went  to 
Grand  Prairie;  from  thence  to  several  neighbor- 
hoods, and  back  to  Peoria. 

On  Christmas  eve  there  was  a  most  fearful  snow- 
storm. The  snow  fell  to  the  depth  of  three  feet,  so 
that  the  remainder  of  the  season  my  labors  were 
confined  to  the  western  part  of  the  circuit.  In 
many  places  there  were  immense  drifts,  and  the 
snow  was  so  crusted  that  it  was  impassable.  It 
was  March  before  the  snow  went  off,  and  then  the 
heavy  rains,  added  to  the  snow,  caused  such  a 
freshet  as  had  seldom  been  known  in  that  region. 

We  had  a  few  conversions  during  the  Winter,  and 
the  members  were  much  revived.  This  year  was 
one  of  special  interest  to  me.  As  usual,  there  was 
a  young  lady  selected  as  suitable  for  the  minister's 
wife,  and  such  she  proved  in  very  truth.  Brother 
William  Heath,  a  brother-in-law  of  *  Rev.  Samuel 
Hamilton,  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  had  lately  settled 
in  Hollen's  Grove.  It  was  to  his  daughter  that  my 
attention  was  directed.  I  brought  her  an  undivided 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  85 

affection,  for  I  had  never  proposed  marriage  before. 
I  had  traveled  nine  years  on  the  circuit,  and  often 
in  loneliness.  She  consented  to  share  with  me  the 
toils  of  an  itinerant  life,  and  on  the  1st  day  of  Sep- 
tember, 1831,  we  were  joined  in  marriage  by  Eev. 
Jesse  Hale. 

It  is  a  saying  that  "to  every  man  there  is  one 
good  woman."  My  wife  has  proved  so  to  me.  For 
thirty-five  years  we  journeyed  on  life's  pathway  to- 
gether, and  each  succeeding  year  grew  happier  in 
each  other's  love.  I  thank  God  for  the  helpmeet  he 
gave  me.  Would  that  she  had  lived  to  bless  all  the 
remaining  years  of  my  life  as  she  did  those  that  are 
past !  From  the  pleasant  picture  of  home-life  I  must 
turn  once  more  in  my  narrative — as  I  did  in  reality 
in  the  years  gone  by — to  the  scenes  of  my  labors. 

The  year  was  a  prosperous  one.  Our  members 
numbered  two  hundred  and  fifty-two.  Peter  Cart- 
wright  was  my  presiding  elder.  We  closed  the 
year,  as  usual,  with  a  camp  meeting. 

Mrs.  Beggs  accompanied  me  to  Conference  this 
year,  which  was  held  at  Indianapolis.  It  was  a  long 
and  tedious  ride  for  a  woman  to  perform  on  horse- 
back, and  we  were  also  to  ride  one  hundred  miles 
beyond  to  visit  at  my  father's.  We  remained  there 
but  a  few  days,  and  then  started  north-west  for  a 
three-hundred-mile  ride  to  my  father-in-law's,  near 
Peoria.  The  evening  before  we  arrived  at  Washing- 
ton we  had  to  cross  Mackinaw  Eiver.  Sfct  having 
been  apprised  of  its  depth,  we  ventured  in,  and 


86  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

found  ourselves  in  very  deep  water.  It  was  up  to 
the  horse's  back,  and  we  were  both  thoroughly 
wetted.  When  we  got  to  the  opposite  bank  we 
found  it  to  be  about  five  feet  high,  and  it  was  im- 
possible for  the  horses  to  get  up.  I  climbed  up  and 
secured  a  strong  limb,  which  I  placed  along  side  the 
horse.  My  wife  then  reached  me  her  hand,  and, 
with  my  help,  succeeded  in  climbing  up  this  limb 
till  she  reached  the  bank.  "  Perils  by  sea  and  per- 
ils by  land."  I  then  led  the  horses  some  distance 
up  the  stream,  till  they  could  land.  We  remounted, 
and  had  before  us  a  ride  of  fifteen  miles  ere  we 
reached -my  father-in-law's.  We  arrived  there  wet. 
and  tired,  yet  thanked  God  that  we  were  safe,  and 
took  courage  for  further  efforts  in  this  great  cause. 
This  year  I  received  my  appointment  to  Chicago 
mission  station.  In  July  of  the  previous  Summer  I 
had  attended  two  camp  meetings — one  at  Cedar 
Point,  and  the  other  at  Plainfield.  They  were  both 
successful,  the  one  at  Plainfield  especially  so.  From 
this  latter  place  father  Walker  and  myself  started 
for  Chicago,  about  forty  miles  distant.  When  we 
arrived  brother  Walker  gave  out  an  appointment 
for  me  to  preach  in  the  garrison,  in  old  Dr.  Har- 
mon's room.  After  the  sermon  was  over  he  gave  it 
out  that  I  was  to  preach  again  next  morning  at  nine 
o'clock;  and  this  was  the  beginning  of  a  happy  time 
here.  I  opened  the  door  for  the  reception  of  mem- 
bers, an  eft  think  ten  joined  the  Church.  Among 
the  number  were  brother  Lee  and  wife,  and  Elijah 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  87 

Wentworth,  with  his  mother  and  two  sisters.  We 
formed  a  class  of  these  few  members,  and  it  was 
this  class,  the  first  ever  formed  in  Chicago,  that  now 
awaited  me  at  my  new  appointment. 

I  commenced  my  work  here  alone,  and  the  pros- 
pect seemed  gloomy  enough.  The  garrison  consisted 
of  two  or  three  frame  houses,  and  some  huts  occu- 
pied by  the  French  and  Indians.  This,  only  about 
twenty-five  years  from  the  time  I  now  write,  was 
all  that  .there  was  of  our  now  mighty  city.  Some 
changes  had  taken  place  since  the  preceding  Sum- 
mer, and  on  my  arrival  I  felt  somewhat  encouraged. 
Several  families  had  moved  in — father  Nobles,  with 
a  wife  and  two  daughters,  Colonel  Eichard  Hamilton 
and  wife,  and  Dr.  Harmon  Irwin,.  a  son  of  the  above- 
mentioned,  with  his  wife.  There  were  six  more 
members  added  to  my  class. 

I  remained  -here  preaching  nearly  seven  weeks  be- 
fore I  could  obtain  any  accommodations  for  my  fam- 
ily, and  then  went  back  to  my  father-in-law's  after 
Mrs.  Beggs.  It  was  the  middle  of  January,  1832. 
It  will  be  difficult  to  those  of  my  readers  who  never 
braved  the  perils  of  pioneer  life  to  realize  how  great 
were  the  hardships  of  the  first  settlers,  and  among 
these  there  were  not  many  who  passed  through  more 
toil  and  discomfort  than  the  Methodist  itinerant; 
and  yet  there  are  veterans  in  the  cause  who  are  still 
living,  and  rejoicing  that  God  gave  them  the  privi- 
lege, in  their  younger  days,  of  laboriri^*for  him. 
Now  that  the  fields  are  all  white,  and  the  harvest  is 


88  EARLY   HISTORY  OF  THE 

ready,  we  forget  past  toils  in  the  joyful  present,  and 
count  ourselves  blessed  that  we  are  still  laborers. 

But  let  me  return  to  my  perilous  journey.  It 
was  just  after  the  January  thaw,  and  we  had  mud 
and  ice,  high  waters  and  no  bridges,  and  long  dis- 
tances between  houses,  which  made  my  journey  of 
one  hundred  and  forty  miles  very  tedious  and  diffi- 
cult. I  had  traveled  some  distance,  and  was  still 
thirty-five  miles  from  Washington,  now  Magnolia.  I 
had  but  two  biscuits  in  my  pocket,  and,  as  the  be- 
ginning of  a  hard  day's  journey,  was  obliged  to  swim 
Sandy  Creek.  My  next  obstruction  was  Crow  Creek. 
At  the  old  ford  there  was  so  much  water  and  ice 
that  I  was  obliged  to  ride  up  the  stream  for  a  num- 
ber of  miles  over  the  open  prairie.  I  crossed  several 
of  the  largest  branches,  and  was  congratulating  my- 
self that  I  had  conquered  my  greatest  difficulties.  I 
was  shaping  my  course  toward  Washington,  when  I 
came  to  the  main  branch.  Here  the  water  was  low, 
but  it  had  frozen  hard  to  the  very  bottom.  The. 
thaw  had  caused  the  water  to  overflow  the  ice  to  the 
depth  of  three  feet.  This  water  had  also  frozen 
over,  but  not  hard  enough  to  bear  up  my  horse  on 
the  new-made  ice.  He  broke  through  the  ice  at  the 
top,  and  also  at  the  bottom  of  the  stream.  After 
making  several  fruitless  attempts  to  cross,  I  again 
rode  out  on  the  prairie.  I  rode  on  and  on  till  I  lost 
sight  of  timber  and  of  my  course,  out  on  the  sea  of 
open  pralrts  without  a  compass  or  a  guide. 

It  was  cloudy  and  cold,  and  near  night.     I  must 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  89 

either  cross  the  river  or  lie  out  all  night  upon 
Grand  Prairie.  I  chose  the  former,  and  attempted 
to  cross  at  the  risk  of  being  swamped  in  the  mud 
and  ice.  I  broke  the  ice  as  well  as  I  could  to  about 
the  middle  of  the  stream,  when  the  under  ice  gave 
way,  and  down  went  my  horse,  throwing  me  off  at 
one  side.  This  broke  the  surface  ice  around  the 
horse,  and  also  in  front  of  him;  I  then  gave  him  the 
word,  and  he  struggled  nobly,  bringing  me  out  upon 
the  right  side  without  any  serious  injury.  I  was 
well  drenched.  I  took  off  my  boots,  and  emptied 
the  water  out  of  them,  and  wrung  out  my  socks, 
and  the  skirts  of  my  overcoat.  It  was  very  cold, 
yet  I  mounted  my  horse,  thanked  God  for  my 
safety,  and  took  courage,  although  I  still  had  great 
obstacles  before  me.  It  was  still  cloudy,  and  there 
was  no  road  and  no  timber  in  sight.  The  sailor 
out  of  sight  of  land,  with  no  compass,  is  no  more  at 
loss  than  is  one  on  the  open  prairie  where  no  shrub, 
or  tree,  or  dim  speck  in  the  distant  horizon  is  to 
be  seen. 

I  was  in  greater  straits  than  ever.  I  did  not 
know  what  direction  to  take,  and  there  was  no  time 
to  be  lost;  I  started,  and  soon  found  myself  on  a 
slight  elevation  of  prairie;  from  this  point  I  could 
at  a  great  distance  discover  a  patch  of  timber,  and 
I  directed  my  course  toward  it.  After  riding  till 
a  late  hour  in  the  night  I  reached  the  timber,  and 
found  there  a  small  farm  inclosed  by  a  fence.  I 

took  down  the  rails  and  rode  through,  where  I  found 

8 


90  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

stacks  of  wheat  and  straw.  After  vainly  searching 
for  more  evidences  of  a  human  habitation,  I  con- 
cluded to  make  the  best  of  my  situation,  and  pass 
the  night  there  with  what  comfort  I  could.  I  fed 
my  horse  some  of  the  wheat,  and  in  my  frozen 
clothes  lay  down  in  the  straw.  I  remained  here 
but  a  short  time,  when  I  recollected  the  apostle's 
advice,  that  "  bodily  exercise  is  profitable."  I  re- 
sorted to  violent  exercise,  in  order  to  bring  my 
blood  into  circulation,  and  then  lay  down  in  the 
straw  again;  I  kept  this  up  all  night. 

In  the  morning  my  prospects  brightened;  I  heard 
some  one  calling  hogs,  and,  homely  as  was  the  sound, 
it  was  a  most  welcome  one.  I  saw  some  one  on  the 
opposite  side  of  a  creek,  and  called  out  to  him.  I 
learned  that  this  stream  was  Panther  Creek,  and 
that  I  was  twenty  miles  from  Washington.  He 
asked  me  where  I  had  staid  over  night,  and  I  told 
him,  and  also  the  liberty  I  had  taken  in  feeding  my 
horse.  He  said  the  stacks  were  his/  and  that  it 
was  "all  right."  He  then  told  me  that  I  must  ride 
three  miles  up  the  creek,  where  I  would  find  a  bridge, 
and  that  by  the  time  I  came  down  again  I  would 
find  some  breakfast  prepared  for  me.  It  was  a  wel- 
come, sound;  for  I  had  eaten  nothing  for  twenty- 
four  hours,  except  those  two  biscuits.  My  break- 
fast was  a  feast,  for  I  brought  to  it  the  best  of 
sauces  as  a  relish — a  good  appetite.  It  was  as 
great  a  joy  to  those  early  settlers  to  welcome  a 
stranger  to  their  board,  was  it  as  to  the  hungry 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  91 

traveler  to  partake  of  their  hospitality.  May  God's 
blessing  rest  on  him  and  his  for  his  kindness  that 
morning ! 

I  thanked  him,  and  attended  morning  devotions. 
The  thanks  and  the  prayers  of  the  Methodist  min- 
ister in  those  days  always  settled  the  reckoning 
with  their  hosts.  I  mounted  my  horse,  who  had 
also  shared  the  hospitalities  with  me,  and  was  soon 
well  on  my  way  to  Washington.  On  reaching  Wal- 
nut Creek  I  found  I  must  swim  it,  and  also  many 
other  smaller  streams  before  I  reached  my  father-in- 
law's.  I  was  much  comforted  to  find  them  all  well, 
and  Mrs.  Beggs  impatient  to  join  me  even  in  my 
arduous  labors.  I  remained  here  but  a  few  days, 
and  had  my  scanty  effects  packed  on  a  sled. 

Having  a  good  snow  we  reached  the  Big  Vermil- 
ion late  in  the  evening;  it  was  too  high  to  ford; 
and  being  nearly  opposite  the  house  of  Martin  Rey- 
nolds, I  shouted  at  the  top  of  my  voice,  till  I  made 
myself  heard.  He  soon  came  down  to  our  relief  with 
his  sled  and  horses.  We  traveled  down  the  stream, 
he  on  one  side  and  I  on  the  other.  At  last  vr-Q 
found  a  place  on  the  ice,  where  we  ventured  to  meet. 
With  certain  precautions  we  attempted  to  cross  on 
the  ice.  I  took  the  rails  of  our  old-fashioned  bed- 
stead, and  by  walking  on  one  while  I  shoved  the 
other  along  in  front  of  us,  we  at  last  found  ourselves 
safely  landed  on  the  .  other  side.  After  having  a 
comfortable  night's  rest,  we  went  back  in  the  morn- 
ing to  see  to  the  horses  and  look  after  my  effects. 


92  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

As  we  were  crossing  in  a  canoe,  we  came  very  near 
being  capsized ;  and  in  case  we  had  been,  we  should 
have  been  drowned.  But  God  in  his  good  provi- 
dence saw  fit  to  spare  us  for  further  labors.  I  took 
my  goods  back  about  five  miles,  and  left  them  till 
the  roads  should  become  passable.  I  staid  at  brother 
Pueynolds's  a  few  days;  and  in  the  mean  time  walked 
over  to  Ottowa,  a  village  about  twelve  miles  dis- 
tant, where  I  preached  a  sermon.  After  this  I  again 
went  after  my  horses  and  goods,  and  brought  them 
to  the  river-side  once  more,  in  hopes  to  get  them 
across.  We  did  so  by  making  a  bridge  sixteen  feet 
in  length,  which  reached  from  the  river's  edge  to 
the  ice  in  the  middle  of  the  stream.  I  ran  them 
across  the  ice  by  means  of  a  hand-sled,  and  brother 
Keynolds  with  his  team  moved  them  up  to  Ottowa. 
Brother  Green  took  them  farther  on  the  way  to  his 
house;  and  there  they  remained  till  the  next  Spring. 

To  give  some  idea  how  the  early  settlers  lived,  I 
will  tell  the  reader  of  our  fare  while  at  brother 
Reynolds's,  and  how  we  obtained  it.  There  was  no 
ftour  to  be  had,  and  no  mills  for  grinding.  Our  corn, 
of  which  we  had  great  plenty,  had  to  be  pounded 
in  a  mortar.  The  only  pestle  we  had  was  made  by 
driving  an  iron  wedge  into  a  stick,  which  served  for 
a  handle. 

While  going  from  brother  Green's  to  Plainfield 
we  were  overtaken  by  a  storm  of  rain  and  sleet, 
which  made  the  ground  literally  one  sheet  of  ice. 
The  horse  which  Mrs.  Beggs  rode  had  no  shoes. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  93 

When  we  reached  Platteville  the  creek  was  swollen 
so  high  that  it  could  not  be  crossed  at  that  point. 
Brother  Heed,  who  was  with  us,  managed  to  get 
across,  but -judged  it  was  not  safe  for  us  to  attempt 
it.  So  we  traveled,  he  on  one  side  and  ourselves  on 
the  other,  some  distance  along  the  stream,  till  at  last 
we  found  a  crossing-place.  The  storm  continued  till 
we  reached  Plainfield.  I  was  fearful  the  exposure 
would  cost  Mrs.  Beggs  her  life.  It  was  several 
weeks  before  she  recpvered,  and  then  not  entirely, 
from  the  effects  of  her  stormy  ride.  There  was  yet 
no  room  to  be  had  in  Chicago,  and  it  was  thought 
best  for  my  wife  to  remain 'at  Plainfield  till  the  en- 
suing Spring,  while  I  kept,  up  my  appointments 
till  May. 


94  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 


CHAPTER  X.« 

JESSE  WALKER  was  superintendent  of  the  mission 
work  from  Peoria  to  Chicago,  and  also  had  a  nom- 
inal appointment  at  Chicago.  His  labors,  however, 
were  so  extensive  that  he  preached  here  but  a  few 
times  during  the  year.  Brother  Walker  was  not 
able  to  attend  Conference,  held  in  Indianapolis,  in 
1831.  After  consulting  me,  to  know  if  I  was  will- 
ing to  take  charge  of  the  mission  at  Chicago,  to 
which  I  consented  if  Conference  should  so  decide,  he 
wrote  to  Bishop  Roberts  to  appoint  me  to  that  work. 
So  this  was  my  home  for  the  coming  year,  and  I 
hastened  to  take  charge  of  the  little  class  I  had 
formed  a  few  months  previous.  I  found  them  all 
standing  fast  in  the  liberty  of  the  Gospel. 

Our  meetings  were  generally  held  in  the  fort,  and 
they  increased  in  interest  till  our  first'  quarterly 
meeting,  which  was  held  in  January,  1832.  I  had 
been  helping  brother  Walker  hold  some  meetings  at 
Plainfield,  and  we  left  there  on  one  of  the  coldest 
days  of  that  Winter  for  my  quarterly  meeting  at 
Chicago.  It  was  thirty  miles  to  the  first  house. 
Brother  T.  B.  Clark  started  with  us  with  an  ox  team, 
for  the  purpose  of  carrying  provisions  to  help  sustain 
the  people  in  Chicago  during  the  meeting.  Provi- 
sions were  very  scarce  here  at  that  time.  Late  in 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  95 

the  evening  we  became  alarmed  lest  lie  had  perished 
in  the  cold,  and  went  out  on  a  fruitless  hunt  after 
him.  He  arrived,  at  eleven  o'clock  that  night,  at 
our  stopping-place.  The  next  day  saw  us  all  safely 
in  Chicago,  where  we  met  with  a  warm  reception 
from  brother  Lee  and  family. 

Here,  to-day,  amid  the  presence  of  this  great  and 
prosperous  city,  let  us  reconsider  our  humble  begin- 
nings. Thirty-six  years  ago  a  load  of  provisions  was 
brought  by  an  ox  team  from  the  village  of  Plainfield 
to  sustain  the  friends  that  met  here  for  a  quarterly 
meeting !  The  meeting  commenced  with  power,  and 
increased  in  interest  till  Sunday  morning.  My  first 
sermon  was  preached  on  Sabbath  morning  at  ten 
o'clock,  after  which  brother  Walker  invited  the  peo- 
ple around  the  sacramental  board.  It  was  a  season 
long  to  be  remembered.  Every  one  seemed  to  be 
baptized  and  consecrated  anew  to  the  great  work  to 
be  accomplished  in  the  village  that  was  destined  to 
become  a  mighty  city. 

Jesse  Walker  was  my  successor  in  1832.  He 
moved  his  family  up  to  Chicago  as  soon  as  possible, 
and  set  to  work.  I  attended  his  first  quarterly 
meeting;  it  was  held  in  an  old  log  school-house 
which  served  for  a  parsonage,  parlor,  kitchen,  and 
audience-room.  The  furniture  consisted  of  an  old 
box  stove,  with  one  griddle,  upon  which  we  cooked. 
We  boiled  our  tea-kettle,  cooked  what  few  vegeta- 
bles we  could  get,  and  fried  our  meat,  each  in  its 
turn.  Our  table  was  an  old  wooden  chest;  and 


96  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

when  dinner  was  served  up  we  surrounded  the 
board  and  ate  with  good  appetites,  asking  no  ques- 
tions for  conscience'  sake.  Dyspepsia,  that  more 
modern  refinement,  had  not  found  its  way  to  our 
settlements.  We  were  too  earnest  and  active  to  in- 
dulge in  such  a  luxury.  Indeed,  our  long  rides  and 
arduous  labors  were  no  friends  to  such  a  visitant. 
This  palatial  residence,  which  served  as  the  Chicago 
parsonage,  was  then  situated  between  Eandolph  and 
Washington  streets,  the  first  block  west  of  the  river. 

The  Winter  previous  I  had  purchased  a  claim, 
the  only  title  to  be  had.  Then  I  paid  three  hundred 
dollars  for  a  claim  upon  two  hundred  and  forty  acres, 
eighty  of  which  was  covered  with  timber  land,  por- 
tions of  which  to-day  sell  for  one  hundred  dollars 
per  acse.  My  aim  then  was  to  secure  a  home,  when 
the  time  should  come  that  I  could  no  longer  travel 
on  the  itinerant  work,  which  I  had  laid  out  as  the 
business  of  my  life  while  health  and  strength  re- 
mained. The  Lord  prospered  me  in  my  purchase. 
I  was  well  paid  for  my  land,  for  which  blessing  I 
am  yet  thankful,  and  trust  that  I  shall  ever  be  found 
a  good  steward  of  the  manifold  mercies  of  the  Lord. 

This  year  there  were  no  returns  of  members.  At 
this  time  a  little  incident  occurred  in  the  life  of 
Jesse  Walker  worthy  of  note,  as  showing  the  intol- 
erance we  had  sometimes  to  meet  with,  even  in  a 
new  country.  At  an  early  day  he  was  in  the  habit 
of  holding  meetings  for  the  handful  of  Americans 
then  in  St.  Louis.  Finding  that  there  was  a  need 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  97 

for  regular  appointments,  he  made  them  for  once  in 
four  weeks.  The.  Catholics  hearing  of  this  great 
outrage — that  a  Methodist  was  to  preach  regularly 
among  them — went  to  their  priest  with  a  complaint 
against  such  presumption.  "  Never  mind/'  said  the 
priest,  "  they  can  't  do  much ;  if  nothing  else  will 
do,  we  will  starve  them  out."  "Starve  them  out," 
said  the  complainant,  "why,  they  will  live  where  a 
dog  would  starve  to  death!"  And  it  was  through 
the  untiring  efforts  of  Walker  that  the  foundations 
of  Methodism  were  so  deeply  and  broadly  laid,  that 
neither  Catholicism  nor  the  "Prince  of  the  power 
of  the  air  "  has  been  able  to  withstand  its  growth. 
The  handful  of  seed  which  he  then  planted  has  now 
become  like  the  "Cedars  of  Lebanon."  May  we 
ever  manifest  his  zeal  in  all  good  works  which  the 
Lord  may  appoint  unto  us ! 

Amid  our  other  trials  and  hardship  we  suffered 
some  from  fear  of  the  Indians.  I  had  laid  in  my 
store  of  provisions  for  the  coming  Summer.  It  was 
during  my  absence  that  Mrs.  Beggs  was  greatly 
annoyed  by  the  Potawatomie  Indians,  who  frequently 
brought  rumors  that  the  Black  Hawks  would  kill 
us  all  that  Spring.  It  was  not  long  before  the  in- 
habitants came  flying  from  Fox  Eiver,  through 
great  fear  of  their  much-dreaded  enemy.  They 
came  with  their  cattle  and  horses,  some  bareheaded 
and  others  barefooted,  crying,  "  The  Indians  !  the 
Indians !"  Those  that  were  able  hurried  on  with 

all   speed   for    Danville.      All    the    inhabitants    on 

9 


U8  EAELY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

Hickory   Creek  and  in  Jackson  Grove  took  fright 
also,  and  fled. 

A  few  of  the  men  only  staid  behind  to  arrange 
their  temporal  matters  as  best  they  could  under  the 
circumstances.  In  the  mean  time  some  friendly 
Indians  who  knew  of  their  fright  were  coming  to 
inform  them  that  their  dangers  were  not  so  great  as 
they  supposed.  The  men,  seeing  these,  and  sup- 
posing that  they  were  hostile,  mounted  their  horses 
and  fled  for  life,  before  they  could  be  informed  of 
the  friendly  intentions  of  their  visitors.  The  latter 
then  tried  to  head  them  in,  in  order  to  correct  their 
mistake.  This,  of  course,  only  made  matters  worse; 
and  the  men  hastened  on  with  greater  speed  till 
they  reached  their  families,  who  had  by  this  time 
come  to  a  halting  place  for  the  night.  Their  cattle 
and  horses  were  turned  out  to  feed  and  scattered 
over  the  surrounding  country.  They  were  making 
arrangements  for  supper — some  of  them  having  their 
meals  prepared,  others  just  commencing  to  prepare 
them — when  here  came  those  men,  flying  in  hot 
haste,  one  of  whom  had  lost  a  hat,  and  their  horses 
jaded  and  worn,  with  a  ten-mile  race.  When  they 
told  of  their  narrow  escape,  and  how  the  Indians 
had  tried  to  head  them,  there  was  confusion  and 
dismay  in  the  little  camp. 

It  was  urged  that  all  should  remain  quiet  till  they 
could  get  their  cattle  and  horses  together ;  but  there 
was  too  much  "  demoralization  "  for  that.  One  team 
could  not  be  found,  and  it  was  thought  better  to 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  99 

sacrifice  one  than  that  the  whole  should  suffer.  So 
it  was  decided  that  they  should  move  off  as  silently 
as  possible;  yet  there  was  one  ungovernable  person 
among  them,  who  made  noise  enough  in  driving  his 
oxen  to  have  been  heard  a  mile  distant.  Of  course 
this  was  very  annoying  to  the  others,  who  felt  the 
necessity  of  being  quiet.  The  hatless  man  and  one 
or  two  others  found  their  way  to  Danville  in  ad- 
vance of  the  rest,  and  told  their  fearful  stories — 
how  the  Indians  were  killing  and  burning  all  before 
them,  while  at  this  time  it  is  presumed  that  there 
was  not  a  hostile  Indian  south  of  Desplains  Eiver. 
At  Plainfield,  however,  the  alarm  was  so  great  that 
it  was  thought  best  to  make  all  possible  efforts  for 
a  defense,  in  case  of  an  attack. 

My  house  was  considered  the  most  secure  place. 
I  had  two  log  pens  built  up,  one  of  which  served 
for  a  barn  and  the  other  a  shed.  These  were  torn 
down,  and  the  logs  used  to  build  up  a  breast-work 
around  the  house.  All  of  the  people  living  on  Fox 
Eiver  who  could  not  get'  farther  away  made  my 
house  a  place  of  shelter.  There  were  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five,  old  and  young.  We  had  four  guns, 
some  useless  for  shooting  purposes.  Ammunition 
was  scarce.  All  of  our  pewter  spoons,  basins,  and 
platters  were  soon  molded  by  the  women  into  bul- 
lets. As  a  next  best  means  of  defense,  we  got  a 
good  supply  of  axes,  hoes,  forks,  sharp  sticks,  and 
clubs.  Here  we  intended  to  stay  till  some  relief 
could  be  obtained.  This  was  on  Thursday;  and  we 


100  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

remained  here  till  the  next  Sabbath,  when  the  people 
of  Chicago,  hearing  of  our  distress,  raised  a  company 
of  twenty-five  white  men,  and  as  many  Indians,  who 
came  to  our  aid.  They  remained  with  us  till  the 
next  morning,  (Monday,)  and  then  concluded  to  re- 
connoiter  along  Fox  River. 

The  Indians,  with  Mr.  Lorton  at  their  head,  were 
to  go  to  Big  Woods,  (now  Aurora,)  and  Gen.  Brown, 
with  Col.  Hamilton  and  their  men,  were  to  visit 
Halderman's  Grove,  and  then  fix  upon  a  place  to 
meet  in  the  evening,  where  they  might  spend  the 
night  together  in  safety.  In  the  afternoon  Mr. 
Lorton  came  back,  with  two  or  three  of  his  Indians, 
and  brought  us  fearful  stories  of  how  they  had  all 
been  taken  prisoners,  and  kept  two  or  three  hours; 
the  Indians,  however,  being  on  good  terms  with 
Black  Hawk,  he  had  allowed  him,  with  an  escort,  to 
have  his  liberty,  in  order  to  go  up  to  Chicago,  where 
he  intended  to  take  his  family  for  safety.  -  He  must 
go  that  night,  and  had  but  a  moment  to  warn  us  of 
our  danger.  He  told  us  our  fort  would  be  attacked 
that  night,  or  the  next  at  the  longest,  and  that  if 
they  could  not  storm  the  fort  at  first,  they  would 
continue  the  siege  till  they  did.  He  advised  us  to 
fly  to  Ottowa  or  Chicago  as  soon  as  possible. 

Such  a  scene  as  then  took  place  at  Fort  Beggs 
was  seldom  witnessed,  even  in  those  perilous  times. 
The  stoutest  hearts  failed  them,  and  strong  men 
turned  pale,  while  women  and  children  wept  and 
fainted,  till  it  seemed  hardly  possible  to  restore  them 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  101 

to  life,  and  almost  cruel  for  them  to  return  from 
their  quiet  unconsciousness  to  a  sense  of  their  danger. 
It  was  no  time  to  hesitate  or  deliberate.  Immediate 
departure  was  the  word;  but  they  were  divided  as 
to  the  best  means  to  be  taken  in  finding  a  place  of 
security;  some  wished  to  go  to  Chicago,  others  to 
Ottowa,  while  some  proposed  to  separate  and  scatter 
for  the  woods.  After  several  short  and  pithy  speeches 
were  made,  James  Walker  was  elected  Captain,  and 
formed  us  into  a  company.  "We  were  advised  that 
Indians  would  never  attack  a  fort,  unless  driven  to 
it,  and  that  it  was  safer  to  remain  where  we  were, 
at  least  till  we  heard  from  the  remaining  men. 

All  possible  preparations  were  then  made  for  our 
defense,  and  we  determined  to  sell  our  lives  as  dearly 
as  we  could.  A  long  piece  of  fence  was  torn  down 
and  strewed  about  the  fort.  We  set  fire  to  these 
rails,  so  that  we  might  see  the  Indians  when  they 
came  for  attack.  We  had  several  alarms;  yet  we 
remained  here  safe  till  Wednesday  evening,  and  then 
every  man  was  ordered  to  his  post  to  prepare  for 
an  onset  from  the  enemy.  To  our  great  joy  the 
white  men  returned  that  evening ;  but  they  brought 
us  news  of  the  massacre  of  fifteen  white  inhabitants 
on  Indian  Creek ;  also  that  they  were  burning 
houses  and  killing  cattle.  They  advised  us  to  leave 
the  fort  at  once,  and  go  either  to  Ottowa  or 
Chicago.  We  chose  the  latter  course.  One  circum- 
stance I  had  forgotten  to  mention.  When  the  in- 
habitants fled  from  Fox  Eiver,  there  was  one  infirm 


102  EARLY   HISTORY  OF   THE 

old  man  -who  was  confined  to  his  bed  with  the  rheu- 
matism. He  advised  them  to  leave  him,  as  he  had 
not  many  days  to  live  at  all  events.  They  left  him, 
and  it  was  several  days  before  they  ventured  back 
to  see  what  had  become  of  him.  They  found  him, 
and  learned  that  the  Indians  had  been  there  and 
brought  him  food.  He  was  brought  to  our  fort, 
and  there  was  as  much  rejoicing  as  if  one  had  been 
raised  from  the  dead.  It  was  decided  that  we 
should  take  him  with  us  to  Chicago.  We  spent  the 
night  in  busy  preparations  for  our  departure  the 
next  day.  In  getting  our  oxen  and  horses  together, 
it  was  found  that  we  had  only  teams  enough  to 
carry  the  people.  Nearly  all  of  our  effects  had  to 
be  left  behind;  some  of  my  iron- ware  and  bed- 
clothes I  hid  in  hollow  trees,  in  hopes  of  finding 
them  again,  should  I  ever  return.  I  did  return  a 
long  time  after  that.  I  had  been  detained  by  sick- 
ness, and  found  that  my  bed-clothes  were  nearly 
spoiled,  and  a  great  destruction  of  property  besides, 
although  no  houses  were  burned. 

We  left  our  fort  at  seven  o'clock  on  Thursday 
morning,  with  our  company  and  the  twenty-five 
Chicago  men  as  guard;  we  made  quite  an  imposing 
appearance.  We  arranged  ourselves  so  as  to  cover 
near  a  mile  in  length  on  the  road.  It  was  after- 
ward said  that  the  Indians  were  watching  us,  and 
would  have  made  an  attack  but,  for  our  formidable 
appearance  and  numbers.  We  traveled  forty  miles 
that  day,  and  reached  Chicago  by  sunset. 


WEST  AND  NOKTH-WEST.  103 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THERE  was  no  extra  room  for  us  when  we  arrived 
in  Chicago.  Two  or  three  families  of  our  number 
were  put  into  a  room  fifteen  feet  square  with  as 
many  more  families,  and  here  we  staid,  crowding 
and  jamming  each  other,  for  several  days.  One 
afternoon,  as  if  to  increase  our  misery,  a  thunder- 
storm came  up,  and  the  end  of  our  room  was  broken 
in  by  a  stroke  of  lightning  while  we  were  taking  a 
lunch.  None  of  us  were  hurt,  but  the  lightning 
passed  down  the  wall  to  the  room  below  us,  leaving 
a  charred  seam  within  a  few  inches  of  a  keg  of  pow- 
der. But  our  room,  which  was  in  the  second  story, 
was  filled  with  a  distressing  odor  of  sulphurous 
smoke,  and  the  report  was  the  loudest  I  ever  heard. 
The  next  morning  our  first  babe  was  born,  and  dur- 
ing our  stay  fifteen  tender  infants  were  added  to  our 
number.  One  may  imagine  the  confusion  of  the 
scene — children  were  crying  and  women  were  com- 
plaining within  doors,  while  without  the  tramp  of 
soldiery,  the  rolling  of  drums,  and  the  roar  of  can- 
non added  to  the  din ;  and  yet  out  of  this  confusion 
we  tried  to  arrange  order.  The  soldiery  were  drawn 
up  in  solid  column  near  one  of  the  houses,  whose 
friendly  steps  were  my  only  pulpit.  Here  I  stood 


104  EARLY   HISTORY  OF   THE 

and  pointed  out  to  them  the  "Lamb  of  God,  who 
taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world." 

In  a  few  days  the  inhabitants  of  Walker's  Grove, 
now  Plainfield,  returned  to  the  fort  with  fifty  men 
for  a  guard,  and  Captain  Buckmaster  in  command. 
They  were  able  to  raise,  that  year,  some  buckwheat 
and  a  few  potatoes.  Mrs.  Beggs  was  yet  too  deli- 
cate in  health  for  me  to  think  of  leaving.  She  was 
still  confined  to  her  room,  yet  our  stay  here  was  of 
short  duration.  Major  Whistler  came  on  with  his 
troops,  and  at  the  first  roar  of  his  cannon  on  the 
lake  shore  there  was  great  rejoicing.  But  our  joy 
was  soon  turned  to  heaviness.  Instead  of  receiving 
protection,  we  were  turned  out  of  our  shelter  in  or- 
der to  give  place  to  his  men,  who  had  been  exposed 
to  the  rough  winds  on  the  lake.  The  order  came 
for  us  to  leave  the  garrison.  We  should  have  re- 
belled could  it  have  been  of  any  use,  but  there  was 
no  help  for  us  but  to  obey.  The  Major  and  his  fam- 
ily came  into  our  room,  and  we  were  turned  out  into 
the  pitiless  rain-storm  that  afternoon.  We  found 
shelter  in  an  open  house,  where,  from  the  dampness 
and  exposure,  Mrs.  Beggs  and  the  child  took  a 
severe  cold.  Colonel  Richard  Hamilton  then  gave 
us  the  use  of  one  of  his  small  rooms.  We  made  up 
our  bed  on  the  floor,  where  the  cold  and  dampness 
caused  both  mother  and  child  to  take  additional  cold. 
I  also  became  sick  from  the  exposure,  and  matters 
indeed  wore  a  gloomy  look  to  us.  I  trust,  however, 
that  on  the  day  of  reckoning  it  will  be  said  unto 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  105 

Colonel  Hamilton  for  his  great  kindness  unto  us/  "  I 
was  a  stranger  and  ye  took  me  in;  enter  thou  into 
the  joys  of  thy  Lord." 

I  then  proposed  to  Mrs.  Beggs  to  go  to  Plainfield. 
She  consented,  saying  it  would  be  no  better  to  die 
here-  than  to  be  killed  by  the  Indians  on  the  road. 
Forty  miles  through  the  wilderness!  Some  had 
been  killed  but  a  few  days  before,  although,  happily 
for  us,  we  did  not  know  of  it  at  that  time.  We 
started  on  our  journey,  our  only  defense  being  one 
loaded  pistol,  a  strong  faith  in  the  living  God,  and 
the  promise,  "No  harm  shall  befall  thee."  We 
reached  the  fort  late  in  the  day,  quite  safe,  but 
much  fatigued.  I  then  decided  to  secure  a  guard  to 
Ottowa,  and  to  get  Mrs.  Beggs  on  to  Washington  to 
her  mother's.  There  had  been  a  company  of  men 
detached  to  go  either  to  Ottowa  or  Chicago  to  draw 
rations  for  the  soldiers.  They  decided  to  go  to  Chi- 
cago. They  were  to  start  the  next  morning.  That 
afternoon,  however,  Colonel  Owens,  Indian  agent, 
came  down  with  the  news  that  General  Scott  had 
come  to  Chicago  with  his  men,  and  also  brought  the 
cholera,  a  worse-dreaded  foe  than  the  Indians.  This 
decided  the  men  to  go  to  Ottowa  for  rations,  and  by 
that  means  we  obtained  a  guard. 

The  drive  to  Ottowa  through  the  hot  sun  and 
over  the  rough  road  came  very  near  exhausting  my 
wife  and  child,  yet  we  ventured  on  to  Washington 
alone.  The  Indian  difficulties  fceing  by  this  time 
pretty  much  over,  I  concluded  to  return  alone  to 


106  EARLY   HISTOKY  OP  THE 

the  fort.  In  the  mean  time  the  inhabitants  had  fled 
from  the  cholera,  leaving  Chicago  almost  deserted. 
Some  of  them  had  come  to  our  fort,  while  others 
went  to  Danville.  Numbers  died  of  the  cholera, 
and  General  Scott's  men  had  to  remain  till  the  epi- 
demic had  subsided.  It  was  not  long  after  this  that 
General  Scott  gave  chase  to  Black  Hawk,  and  effect- 
ually drove  the  Indians  away.  We  now  had  peace 
in  all  our  borders.  There  was  no  hope  now  of  my 
doing  any  thing  in  my  station,  so  I  concluded  to 
go  on  a  visit  to  my  father's,  in  Clark  county,  Indi- 
ana. From  this  place  I  started  again  for  Wash- 
ington, a  journey  of  three  hundred  miles,  which 
cost  me  an  outlay  of  six  cents.  I  found  my  wife 
and  child  very  much  improved  in  health,  which 
gave  me  renewed  courage,  and  I  thanked  God  for 
his  great  blessings. 

After  a  few  days'  rest  I  started  for  Conference, 
which  was  held  at  Jacksonville,  Illinois.  Our  mem- 
bers numbered  ten,  with  Jesse  Walker  presiding 
elder.  The  Illinois  Conference  having  been  divided, 
there  remained  to  us  twenty-five  preachers.  The 
most  prominent  were  M.  Taylor,  Peter  Cartwright, 
Jesse  Walker,  J.  Dew,  S.  H.  Thompson,  Simon  Pe- 
ter, and  J.  Sinclair.  Bishop  Soule  presided,  and  we 
had  a  very  pleasant  session.  There  were  only  forty 
preachers,  traveling  and  local,  to  supply  the  whole 
State  of  Illinois.  I  was  sent  to  the  Desplaines  mis- 
sion, with  an  appropriation  of  two  hundred  dollars 
from  the  Missionary  Society. 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  107 

This  year,  1833,  my  mission  embraced  the  follow- 
ing appointments:  Plainfreld,  Naperville,  E.  Scar- 
riott's,  (East  Dupage,)  Oswego,  Halderman's  Grove, 
John  Green's,  Ottowa,  Martin  Beynolds's,  (twelve 
miles  down  the  river,)  Jackson's  Grove,  Eeed's  Grove, 
Hickory  Creek,  and  Yankee  Settlement.  The  pros- 
pects of  peace,  and  the  fact  that  we  could  return 
again  to  our  worship,  gave  us  many  hearty  amens 
from  the  brethren,  especially  at  a  camp  meeting  at 
Joliet,  on  the  claim  of  brother  Gongers,  where  the 
scattered  inhabitants  had  but  just  returned  from 
their  flight  from  the  Indians. 

It  was  a  year  of  hard  labor;  for  I  had  a  number 
of  long  rides.  Then,  too,  came  our  first  great  sor- 
row. We  lost  our  only  child,  Mary  Ellen.  We 
bowed  our  heads  in  submission,  as  we  thought  that 
"our  loss  was  her  gain."  If  the  Lord  had  given 
her  unto  us,  was  it  not  meet  that  he  should  take 
her  unto  himself  again?  And  we  lived  in  the  hope 
of  one  day  being  welcomed  by  her  to  our  mansion 
in  the  skies.  It  is  many  years  since  she  died,  and 
her  mother  has  now  joined  her  across  that  Jordan 
of  death,  while  I  yet  remain,  after  a  conflict  of  near 
a  half  century,  on  the  confines  of  that  brighter  world, 
faint,  yet  pressing  onward,  with  the  joyful  prospect 
of  their  welcoming  me  to  my  home  in  heaven. 

Desplaines  returned  thirty-four  members.  Jesse 
Walker  was  superintendent.  In  1834  our  Confer- 
ence met  at  Union  Grove,  St.  Clair  county,  Bishop 
Roberts  presiding.  Our  business  was  dispatched 


108  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

with  the  usual  satisfaction  to  all.  I  was  reap- 
pointed  to  Desplaines  mission,  and  I  returned  with 
renewed  zeal,  which  in  this  case  was  the  more  neces- 
sary, as  the  rage  for  speculation  was  just  com- 
mencing among  both  settlers  and  emigrants.  It 
was  an  earnest  struggle,  and  it  sometimes  seemed 
impossible  to  hold  the  attention  of  a  sinner  long 
enough  to  impress  him  with  the  great  claims  which 
the  Gospel  had  upon  him.  Those  who  would  not 
come  out  to  church  I  followed  to  their  houses,  con- 
versing with  them  on  the  highways  and  by  the  way- 
side. It  was  a  doubtful  struggle;  but,  by  the  help 
of  the  Lord  and  his  efficient  instruments,  in  the 
persons  of  brothers  Walker,  E.  Scarriott,  and  F. 
Owens,  I  saw  many  souls  converted  and  believers 
strengthened.  I  was  enabled  to  form  new  classes, 
and  our  quarterly  meetings,  two  days'  meetings,  and 
camp  meetings  were  crowned  with  abundant  sue 
cess.  Our  numbers  increased  to  fifty-seven,  J.  Sin- 
clair our  presiding  elder. 

My  worldly  goods  increased,  so  that,  if  one  could 
use  the  paradox,  I  was  cursed  with  blessings.  Three 
years  before  I  owned  a  horse  and  sixty  dollars. 
Now  my  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  was 
nearly  paid  for;  and  I  had  four  horses,  seven  cows, 
and  forty  hogs.  My  farm  also  yielded  bountifully ; 
and  now  it  had  come  to  that,  that  I  must  either 
give  up  farming  or  the  itinerancy.  I  chose  to  cling 
to  the  latter;  for  I  remembered  the  solemn  promise 
I  had  made  at  the  time  of  my  ordination,  to  give 


WEST   AND   NORTH-WEST.  109 

myself  up  wholly  to  the  work  of  saving  souls.  Ac- 
cordingly I  sold  out  my  stock,  and  with  the  pro- 
ceeds built  a  barn ;  I  then  rented  my  farm  for  one 
year.  I  had  made  a  sacrifice ;  yet  I  believe  it 
worked  together  for  good  to  me  and  mine;  and, 
which  was  my  higher  aim,  for  the  good  of  the  cause. 
It  is  with  the  greatest  pleasure  that  I  now  look 
back,  and  think  that  I  have  given  up  my  best  days 
to  the  service  of  the  Lord ;  and  I  now  call  upon  my 
soul,  and  all  that  is  within  me,  to  bless  his  holy 
name;  and  I  pray  that  the  "words  of  my  mouth  and 
the  meditations  of  my  heart  may  ever  be  accepta- 
ble in  His  sight." 

The  Conference  was  held  at  Union  Grove,  about 
three  hundred  miles  distant ;  and  I,  in  company  with 
Rev.  Z.  Hall,  rode  to  it  on  horseback,  at  the  rate  of 
fifty  miles  a  day.  Our  stay  at  Conference  rested  us, 
and  we  returned  to  the  moral  conflict  with  renewed 
zeal.  I  was  sent  to  the  Bureau  mission  in  1835. 

In  the  Summer  of  1834  I  accompanied  John  Sin- 
clair, presiding  elder,  to  his  quarterly  meeting 
at  Galena.  Barton  Eandle  and  J.  T.  Mitchell  were 
laboring  on  that  circuit.  After  a  profitable  and 
pleasant  meeting  we  started  for  a  camp  meeting 
that  was  to  be  held  near  Princeton.  The  meeting 
was  somewhat  advanced,  and  there  was  prospect  of 
a  good  work.  Two  Congregational  ministers  came 
to  the  camp-ground,  and  proposed  to  join  us  in  our 
efforts.  There  was  to  be  no  doctrine  preached,  and 
at  the  close  of  the  meeting  the  converts  were  to 


110  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

join  where  they  pleased ;  to  this  our  presiding  elder 
strongly  objected.  He  said  he  was  a  Methodist,  and 
he  must  preach  their  doctrines,  and  that  there  could 
be  no  union  on  such  terms.  We  had  an  unusually  suc- 
cessful meeting,  the  fruits  of  which  I  trust  will  be  seen 
in  eternity ;  and  from  that  time  Methodism  has  taken 
deep  root  in  that  quarter,  growing  even  till  now. 

When  I  arrived  at  my  mission  that  year  with  my 
family,  the  only  shelter  I  could  get  was  a  small  log- 
house  fourteen  feet  square.  It  had  but  one  window, 
and  that  with  four  panes  of  glass.  There  were  no 
shelves,  and  only  a  stick  chimney.  Most  of  our 
things  had  to  be  stowed  away  in  boxes.  To  add  to 
our  discomfort  the  Winter  was  unusually  severe.  A 
sister  of  mine  lived  with  us.  A  short  time  before 
our  second  child,  James  Williams,  was  born,  I  moved 
into  a  log-cabin,  somewhat  larger  than  the  first,  but 
little  better  in  other  respects.  I  had  a  large  four 
weeks'  circuit — Ottowa,  Dayton;  two  appointments 
on  Indian  Creek,  Pawpaw,  Mulligan's  Grove;  three 
•appointments  on  Bureau,  and  four  miles  to  the  west, 
Old  Indiantown;  then  three  appointments  up  at 
Peru,  and  one  at  Judge  Strong's,  five  miles  below 
Ottowa ;  and  another  at  Troy  Grove — making  sixteen 
appointments  in  all ;  J.  Sinclair  presiding  elder.  This 
year  we  had  a  good  revival;  returned  one  hundred 
members ;  raised  about  eighty  dollars  for  missions. 

Our  next  Conference  was  held  at  Springfield; 
Bishop  Koberts  presided.  Our  number  of  preachers 
stationed  was  about  sixty.  There  were  several 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  Ill 

transferred — A.  Branson,  W.  B.  Mack,  W.  Wigley, 
H.  W.  Reed,  and  S.  F.  Whitney.  I  was  sent  back 
to  my  mission  of  last  year.  There  had  been  a  new 
mission  formed,  which  took  off  two  of  my  appoint- 
ments, namely,  Indian  Creek  and  Ottowa. 

We  had  this  year  a  glorious  revival,  much  more 
extensive  than  last  year.  We  also  had  an  excel- 
lent camp  meeting.  A.  E.  Phelps'was  present,  and 
preached  with  great  liberty  and  with  powerful  effect. 
W.  B.  Mack  followed  with  another  very  effective 
sermon,  and  the  meeting  closed  with  a  number  of 
conversions  and  accessions  to  our  number;  yet  we 
received  a  blow  this  year  that  was  greatly  to  the 
injury  of  Methodism.  This  was  the  downfall  of  our 
brother  W.  B.  Mack;  but  the  Lord  overruled  the 
affliction,  and  Methodism  in  that  quarter  yet  lives. 
The  number  of  members  returned  in  1836  was  two 
hundred  and  thirty-one. 

In  the  year  1837  Conference  was  held  at  Rush- 
ville,  Illinois,  Bishop  Roberts  presiding.  It  was  a 
season  long  to  be  remembered,  especially  for  a  mis- 
sionary meeting,  a  thing  unheard  of  in  that  day. 
P.  R.  Borein  spoke  in  favor  of  the  missionary  cause. 
His  speech  greatly  moved  his  hearers,  so  much  so 
that  Bishop  Roberts  sat  trembling  in  his  chair,  while 
the  tears  coursed  rapidly  down  his  cheeks.  This 
speech  was  the  beginning  of  Borein's  brilliant  career. 
John  Clark  had  just  come  down  from  the  Lake  Su- 
perior mission,  and  presented  the  claims  to  education 
of  two  or  three  Indian  boys  for  the  mission  field 


112  EARLY   HISTORY  OF   THE 

among  the  Indians.  Great  was  the  work  and  great 
the  occasion,  and  our  brother  caught  the  inspiration, 
and  his  speech  sent  an  electrifying  thrill  for  the  mis- 
sionary cause  through  the  whole  Conference.  The 
result  was  a  very  large  collection  for  the  work,  many 
of  the  preachers  paying  their  last  dollar,  and  then 
having  to  borrow  money  to  get  home  with. 

This  year  I  was  sent  to  Joliet.  My  colleague  was 
Matthew  A.  Turner,  and  presiding  elder  John  Clark. 
My  circuit  embraced  all  the  counties  south  of  the 
Desplaines  Eiver.  It  was  a  glorious  year  to  me.  We 
had  several  conversions,  with  strong  evidence  of  their 
being  born  into  the  kingdom;  and  especially  at  our 
camp  meetings  did  the  work  of  grace  thrive. 

One  circumstance  is  worthy  of  note,  as  showing 
God's  care  over  his  children.  We  had  two  local 
preachers  and  two  exhorters,  and  there  being  no  pre- 
siding elder  the  charge  of  the  meeting  and  preaching 
fell  upon  me.  Brother  Joseph  Shoemaker  gathered 
up  his  family  and  came  up  to  the  feast  of  the  taber- 
nacles, as  was  the  custom  in  that  day.  Our  aim 
was  to  get  spiritual  good  to  our  souls,  and  to  do 
good  unto  others.  His  wife  had  been  a  member  of 
some  years'  standing,  yet  was  not  satisfied  with  her 
attainments,  and  throughout  the  whole  meeting  earn- 
estly sought  the  blessing  of  acceptance.  It  was  a 
time  of  melting  power;  yet  sister  Shoemaker  left 
the  meeting  under  great  depression.  They  left, 
and  on  their  way  home  they  continued  singing, 
shouting,  and  praying,  brother  Shoemaker  having 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  113 

in  charge  a  spirited  team  of  horses.  All  at  once 
there  went  up  from  the  wagon  a  shout  of 
"Glory  to  God!"  and  as  it  burst  upon  the  ears  of 
the  driver,  he  let  go  his  reins  and  fell  back  in  the 
wagon,  joining  the  general  shout.  Away  went  his 
horses,  at  the  top  of  their  speed,  making  a  circuit 
of  several  miles.  Some  of  the  brethren  who  were 
behind  caught  the  horses  as  they  came  in  from  their 
detour,  and  found  all  safe  and  still  praising  God, 
unconscious  of  all  that  had  passed.  God  had  watched 
over  them,  and  given  his  angels  charge  concerning 
them,  and  how  could  harm  befall  them? 

This  year  I  commenced  the  first  church  in  Joliet, 
and  it  was  completed  in  time  for  our  last  quarterly 
meeting.  I  preached  the  first  Methodist  sermon  in 
Joliet,  with  only  the  inmates  of  a  private  house  for 
my  congregation.  There  were  but  few  present,  and 
they  were  hardened  in  sin;  but  now,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  the  Church  there  numbers  hundreds,  and 
may  the  Lord  prosper  them  unto  the  end ! 

Here  I  transcribe  the  inscription  taken  from  the 
tombstone  of  Rev.  Jesse  Walker.  It  was  written  by 
Bishop  Hamline,  at  my  request.  His  remains  lie  in 
the  Plainfield  cemetery. 

JESSE    WALKER. 
Died  Oct.  4,  1835, 

AGED     SIXTY-NINE     YEARS. 

At  the  Rock  River  Conference,  in  1850,  his  remains  were  removed 

to  this  place  by  his  sons  in  the  Gospel,  who  erect  this 

stone  to  transmit  his  revered  name  to 

coming  generations. 

10 


114:  EARLY   HISTORY  OF   THE 


CHAPTER  XII. 

IN  the  year  1837  I  traveled  the  Forked  Creek 
circuit,  living  at  Wilmington.  Our  accommodations 
were  very  unpleasant,  yet  they  were  the  best  to  be 
had.  We  lived  in  the  second  story.  The  weather 
was  very  hot,  the  season  sickly,  and  the  musketoes 
intolerable.  I  have  frequently  sat  up  all  night  to 
keep  them  off  from  those  who  slept. 

There  were  some  very  sudden  deaths  among  my 
flock,  yet  we  had  some  reason  to  rejoice  in  the  good 
work  that  I  was  still  urging  forward.  Our  quarter- 
age was  light,  as  we  had  but  few  members,  and  all 
were  very  poor.  Yet  they  were  the  Lord's  poor,  and 
had  large  souls,  and  shared  liberally  with  me  of  their 
scanty  means.  John  Clark  was  presiding  elder.  We 
had  a  camp  meeting  at  Keed's  Grove,  where  we  had 
such  wonderful  displays  of  God's  power  and  glory, 
that  it  remains  like  a  bright  light  in  the  memory 
of  those  who  survive;  and  they  speak  of  it  as  most 
triumphant  and  successful  in  its  powerful  conver- 
sions. When  the  meeting  closed,  and  we  had  the 
last  mourner  down  for  prayers,  there  were  but 
two  unconverted  souls  left.  There  was  one  man, 
now  brother  Thomas  Underwood,  who  called  him- 
self "a  hard  case."  He  came  on  the  ground  with 
many  others,  steeped  in  sin  like  himself.  On 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  115 

Sabbath,  with  others,  he  came  forward  for  prayers. 
After  a  long  struggle,  and  many  prayers  in  his  be- 
half, late  in  the  evening  he  raised  his  head,  and 
said,  "I  think  I  feel  better."  "Yes,"  said  he,  "I 
do  feel  better;  I  think  I  have  got  religion."  Then 
he  arose,  and  in  the  most  earnest  tones  said,  "Yes, 
I  have  got  religion."  One  could  almost  see  his  face 
shine;  and  yet  he  so  feared  that  others  might  doubt 
his  sincerity,  that  he  began  exhorting  sinners  in  the 
most  earnest  manner,  pointing  them  to  the  Lamb  of 
God  as  their  all-sufficient  Savior;  and  enforced  the 
exhortation  by  alluding  to  himself  as  the  most  hard- 
ened of  sinners.  If  God  could  save  him,  what  might 
he  not  do  for  others  if  they  would  only  repent? 
He  then  took  hold  of  one  hardened  sinner  that  sat 
near  him ;  said  he,  "  You  are  going  to  get  religion 
too."  "No!"  said  the  sinner,  "I  am  not."  "Do 
not  say  so,"  said  he;  "I  once  said  so  too;  but  I 
thank  God  that  I  have  come  here."  He  continued 
urging  him  for  a  long  time;  yet  the  man  persisted 
in  his  refusal.  At  last  he  said,  "  0,  do  not  say 
so;  you  will,  you  must  come  with  us  yet."  The 
man  turned  pale,  and  down  he  came  and  commenced 
praying;  soon  Israel  was  victorious. 

This  man's  efforts  and  success  were  so  great  that 
he  had  but  to  ask  a  sinner  to  yield,  and  he  gave 
himself  up  to  the  Savior.  When  the  invitation 
came  for  the  young  converts  to  come  forward  to  join 
as  probationers,  he  was  the  first  to  come.  Seeing 
that  others  hesitated,  he  begged  the  privilege  of 


116  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

helping  them  to  take  their  final  resolution.  "  0 
yes,"  said  I,  "  bring  them  in  by  all  means."  By  his 
persistent  efforts  he  brought  in  several.  One  of  them 
said  to  him,  "  You  are  going  to  heaven,  brother 
Thomas."  "Yes,"  said  he,  "I  am  going,  if  I  have 
to  go  alone;  still  I  am  going."  His  face  is  yet  Zion- 
ward,  he  is  still  on  his  way  to  heaven;  but  hot 
alone.  Some  time  after  this,  when,  on  being  ex- 
amined in  class  meeting,  he  was  feeling  very  gloomy, 
he  said  he  could  best  describe  his  condition  by  com- 
paring himself  to  a  pile  of  drift-wood,  hedged  in  the 
swollen  river,  and  to  move  forward  was  out  of  the 
question.  The  meeting  went  on,  and  it  became  a 
heavenly  place  in  Christ  Jesus.  Brother  Underwood 
arose  and  said,  "  Glory  to  God,  brethren,  I  'm  afloat." 

At  our  present  meeting  J.  Clark,  presiding  elder, 
came  and  preached  once,  and  then  left  on  a  visit  to 
his  father's.  William  Crissey,  Francis  Owens,  and 
some  others  composed  the  group  of  ministers.  From 
among  our  brethren  of  the  laity  we  had  the  Fra- 
zier's,  Kelly's,  and  old  brother  Watkins.  From 
Forked  Creek  we  had  brother  Shoemaker,  George 
Lyonbarger,  and  a  few  others.  In  those,  days  when 
I  could  get  these  lay  brethren,  and  old  brother  F. 
Owens,  we  seldom  failed  of  having  a  time  of  refresh- 
ing from  the  "  presence  of  the  Lord."  This  year 
was  a  great  spiritual  feast  to  my  poor  soul.  The 
number  of  members  returned  was  one  hundred 
and  ten. 

From    the     Alton     Conference,    September    12, 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  117 

1838,  Bishop  Soule  presiding,  I  received  my  appoint- 
ment to  the  Joliet  circuit,  with  William  S.  Crissey, 
A.  Chenoweth  superintendent.  This  was  brother 
Crissey 's  second  year ;  and  he  was  an  indefatigable 
laborer,  attending  to  all  matters  both  small  and 
great,  and  completing  the  churches  that  I  had 
commenced  two  years  before — one  at  Plainfield  and 
another  at  Joliet;  J.  Clark  was  presiding  elder.  The 
number  of  members  returned  this  year  was  one 
hundred  and  eighty- eight.  This  was  my  first  ex- 
perience under  a  superintendent.  The  circumstances 
and  events  of  the  relationship  were  any  thing  but 
pleasant;  and  I  prayed  to  be  delivered  from  the 
like  again.  I  may  appropriately  introduce  here  a 
connected  view  of  the  work  in  the  locality  embrac- 
ing Wilmington,  Joliet,  and  Ottowa  from  its  origin 
to  a  very  recent  date. 

In  1832  I  was  appointed  to  the  Desplaines  mission, 
embracing  all  the  settlements  from  twelve  miles  be- 
low Ottowa  up  to  Oswego,  Naperville,  Plainfield, 
Yankee  Settlement,  (four  miles  east  of  Lockport,) 
Hickory  Creek,  Jackson's  Grove,  and  Reed's  Grove. 
This  latter  was  at  the  limits  of  the  white  population, 
and  the  number  of  members  was  thirty-four.  Jesse 
Walker  was  my  presiding  elder.  In  1833  I  was  re- 
turned to  the  same  charge — small  congregations, 
reached  by  long,  slow  rides,  by  Indian  trails,  or 
over  the  trackless  prairie.  This  was  a  hard  year's 
labor,  resulting  in  but  little  apparent  good.  This 
Fall  the  preachers  met  in  Conference  at  brother 


118  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

Padfield's,  Union  Grove,  about  twenty  miles  east  of 
St.  Louis — an  account  of  which  session  is  elsewhere 
given.  David  Blackwell  was  appointed  to  Desplaines 
mission,  John  Sinclair  presiding  elder.  It  embraced 
all  the  white  settlements  this  side  of  Ottowa,  except 
Chicago,  extending  south  to  Forked  Creek.  Black- 
well  formed  the  first  class  in  the  last-named  locality 
in  John  Frazer's  log-cabin,  brother  Frazer  leader; 
members,  Mrs.  Frazer,  John  and  Elizabeth  Williams, 
Robert  and  Ann  Watkins,  James  and  Nancy  Kelley, 
James  Jordan  and  wife,  John  and  Elizabeth  Howell, 
and  Hamilton  and  Martha  Keeney.  Number  of 
members  this  year,  fifty-seven.  Blackwell  was  re- 
appointed  in  1835,  Wilder  B.  Mack  presiding 
elder.  Number  of  members  returned,  one  hundred 
and  sixty.  The  following  year,  (1836,)  myself  and 
Matthew  Turner  were  appointed  on  the  Joliet  cir- 
cuit, brother  Mack  presiding  elder.  Number  of 
members  returned,  two  hundred  and  fifty-three.  In 
1837  I  was  appointed  to  Forked  Creek,  embracing 
Wilmington,  John  Clark  presiding  elder.  William 
Creery  was  on  Joliet  circuit.  There  were  numerous 
conversions  on  both  charges;  members  returned, 
two  hundred  and  eight.  In  1838  Milton  Bourne 
went  to  Wilmington,  and  William  S.  Crissey,  Asbury 
Chenoweth  and  myself,  to  Joliet,  John  Ciaj&  pre- 
siding elder;  members  returned,  one  hundred  and 
forty-eight.  In  1839  William  Vallette  to  Wilming- 
ton, and  William  Wigley  to  Joliet;  John  Sinclair 
presiding  elder. 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  119 

In  1840  the  Eock  Kiver  Conference  was  formed, 
Wigley  being  returned  to  Joliet,  and  Eufus  Lumery 
going  to  Wilmington;  number  of  members,  one 
hundred  and  forty-eight.  In  1841  Simon  K.  Lemon 
went  to  Wilmington ;  John  Sinclair  presiding  elder — 
a  good  preacher  and  hard  worker,  whose  labors 
were  blessed  with  a  revival;  members  returned, 
two  hundred  and  seventy-six.  Milton  Bourne  went 
to  Joliet.  In  1842  Joliet  circuit  embraced  Wilming- 
ton; preachers,  Elihu  Springer  and  S.  K.  Lemon; 
membership,  two  hundred  and  eighty-four.  In  1843 
I  was  returned  to  Joliet  circuit,  Levi  Jenks  and 
James  Leckenby,  assistants;  S.  Stocking  presiding 
elder;  membership,  five  hundred  and  twenty-nine. 
In  1844  H.  Minard  to  Joliet  circuit,  William  Gaddis 
to  Wilmington;  James  Mitchell  presiding  elder.  In 
1845  0.  A.  Walker  and  E.  E.  Thomas  at  Joliet, 
William  Gaddis  at  Wilmington.  In  1846  brother 
Walker  was  returned  to  Joliet;  brother  Mitchell 
presiding  elder.  In  1847  John  Nason  to  Joliet,  S. 
P.  Burr  to  Wilmington;  members  returned,  one 
hundred  and  fifty- three;  Milton  Bourne  presiding 
elder.  In  1848  to  Joliet,  0.  W.  Munger;  to  Wil- 
mington, S.  P.  Burr;  members  returned,  one  hund- 
red and  fifty-three.  In  1849  T.  F.  Deming  to 
Jolietf  0.  Lazenby  to  Wilmington;  A.  L.  Eisley 
presiding  elder.  In  1850  James  P.  Vance  to  Joliet, 
0.  W.  Munger  to  Wilmington;  0.  A.  Walker  pre- 
siding elder.  In  1851  B.  0.  Swartz  to  Joliet, 
(mission  station);  to  Wilmington,  brother  Munger; 


120  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

brother  Walker  presiding  elder.  In  1852  M.  L. 
Head  to  Joliet,  W.  Fidler  to  Wilmington;  brother 
Walker  presiding  elder.  In  1853  brother  Bead  to 
Joliet;  Wilmington,  A.  Eeker;  brother  Walker 
presiding  elder.  In  1854  to  Joliet,  J.  Gibson;  to 
Wilmington,  C.  Eeeder.  In  1855  brothers  Gibson 
and  Eeeder  were  both  returned. 

In  1856,  Joliet,  Wm.  Goodfellow;  Wilmington,  to 
be  supplied;  J.  Gibson  presiding  elder;  members 
returned,  one  hundred  and  sixty-seven  and  one 
hundred  and  seventy-one,  respectively.  In  1857  to 
Wilmington,  F.  P.  Cleveland;  members,  one  hund- 
red and  twenty;  Joliet,  J.  Vincent;  members  re- 
turned, one  hundred  and  fifty-eight;  J.  Gibson 
presiding  elder.  In  1858  to  Joliet,  K  B.  Slaugh- 
ter; members,  two  hundred  and  two;  to  Wilming- 
ton, Wm.  Keegan;  members,  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
three;  J.  Gibson  presiding  elder.  In  1859  same 
preachers  and  presiding  elder;  members,  Joliet,  one 
hundred  and  eighty-seven;  Wilmington,  two  hund- 
red. In  1860  to  Joliet,  H.  Crews;  members,  two 
hundred  and  twenty;  to  Wilmington,  E.  N.  Morse; 
members,  one  hundred  and  thirty- three;  S.  A.  W. 
Jewett  presiding  elder.  In  1861  preachers  and 
presiding  elder  returned;  members  at  Joliet,  two 
hundred  and  twenty-two ;  at  Wilmington,  one  hund- 
red and  ninety-two.  In  1862  to  Joliet,  S.  G.  La- 
throp;  members,  two  hundred  and  three;  to  Wil- 
mington, S.  Washburn;  members,  two  hundred  and 
seven;  brother  Jewett  presiding  elder.  In  1863  to 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  121 

Joliet,  S.  A.  W.  Jewett ;  members,  two  hundred  and 
three;  to  Wilmington,  K.  R.  Bibbens;  members, 
two  hundred  and  twenty;  W.H.  Glass  presiding  elder. 
In  1864  preachers  and  presiding  elder  returned; 
members,  Joliet,  two  hundred;  Wilmington,  one 
hundred  and  ninety.  In  1865  to  Joliet,  W.  P. 
Gray;  members,  two  hundred  and  seventy-one;  to 
Wilmington,  brother  Crews ;  members,  two  hundred 
and  sixteen ;  William  F.  Stewart  presiding  elder.  In 
1866  to  Joliet,  W.  P. 'Gray;  to  Wilmington,  W.  H. 
Glass;  brother  Stewart  presiding  elder.  In  1867 
both  preachers  returned;  increase  of  membership 
not  reported. 

11 


122  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

FROM  the  Bloomington  Conference  in  1839  I  re- 
ceived my  appointment  for  Peoria,  at  the  hands  of 
Bishop  Morris.  A  brief  history  of  Peoria  may  not 
come  amiss  here.  It  is  the  oldest  settled  town  on 
the  lake,  west  of  the  Alleghanies.  In  1722  it  was 
in  the  hands  of  Virginians;  but  it  was  first  gov- 
erned by  the  French. 

The  State  of  Illinois  has  been  owned  by  four  na- 
tions— the  Indians,  French,  English,  and  Americans. 
East  of  the  present  city  of  Peoria,  La  Salle  with 
his  party  made  a  small  fort  in  1680 ;  and,  to  com- 
memorate his  hardships,  called  both  it  and  the  Lake 
"  Crave  Cceur"  which  means  in  our  language 
"  Broken  Heart."  The  Indian  traders  and  whites 
engaged  in  commerce  with  them,  resided  at  the  old 
fort  from  the  year  1680  till  1781,  when  John  Bap- 
tiste  Martlet  made  a  new  location  and  village  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  west  of  the  old  village,  at  the  out- 
let of  the  lake.  This  town  was  called  La  Ville  de 
Maillet ;  that  is,  Martlet  City.  At  the  old  fort  there 
was  no  gardening  or  raising  of  vegetables;  but  the 
inhabitants  depended  mostly  upon  the  Indians  and 
the  chase  for  support.  But  at  the  new  settlement 
gardens  were  cultivated  and  fields  of  grain  were 
raised. 


WEST   AND   NOKTH-WEST.  123 

In  the  year  1781  the  Indians,  under  British  in- 
fluence, drove  off  the  inhabitants  from  Peoria;  but 
at  the  treaty  of  peace  in  1783  they  returned  again. 
Then  in  1812  Capt.  Craig  wantonly  destroyed  the 
village;  but  the  city  of  Peoria  now  occupies  the 
site  of  the  village  of  Maillet,  and  bids  fair  to  be- 
come one  of  the  largest  cities  in  Illinois. 

At  that  time  the  whole  frontier,  from  the  Mis- 
sissippi down  to  the  Wabash  and  above  Vin- 
cennes,  increased  rapidly  every  year.  The  interior 
also  grew  more  dense  and  more  wealthy.  In  1820 
Abner  Gads,  with  others,  settled  in  Peoria.  Soon 
after,  an  Indian  agency  was  established;  William 
Holland  was  appointed  Government  blacksmith  for 
the  Indians.  They  were  at  that  time  very  trouble- 
some, and  his  family  were  at  times  in  great  peril; 
and  yet  he  remained  at  his  post  of  duty  for  several 
years.  After  the  whites  commenced  settling  in 
Peoria,  it  was  selected  by  the  commissioners,  Wil- 
liam Holland,  Joseph  Smith,  and  Nathan  Dillon,  as 
the  county  seat.  James  Latham  obtained  a  floating 
claim,  and  laid  it  on  the  town  site.  After  ^t  had 
been  a  subject  of  litigation  for  some  time  the  matter 
was  compromised,  and  his  claim  was  located  at 
Peoria.  The  French  had  a  claim  in  the  upper  part 
of  the  city,  which  was  recognized  by  the  Govern- 
ment. The  claimants  were  Burboney,  Beeso,  Serett, 
and  James  Mutty,  the  latter  being  the  interpreter. 
It  is  said  that  they  realized  but  little  for  their 
claims. 


124  EARLY   HISTORY  OF  THE 

At  the  time  of  my  appointment  Peoria  was  a 
station,  and  had  a  circuit  connected  with  it.  Brother 
E.  Thompson  was  sent  with  me.  He  preached  on 
the  circuit  while  I  remained  at  the  station.  I  have 
been  thinking  lately  how  very  great  the  contrast  is  in 
the  managing  of  appointments  now  as  compared  with 
that  time — how  the  preacher  nowadays  makes  ar- 
rangements with  the  people  for  his  next  field  of 
labor;  how  high  salaries  are  offered  as  an  induce- 
ment; and  how  the  people's  wishes  are  consulted  in 
these  matters.  It  was  very  different  in  those  days. 
At  the  Bloomington  Conference,  Bishop  Morris  hav- 
ing heard  that  certain  arrangements  had  been  made, 
and  some  agreements  entered  into  by  the  people  of 
Peoria,  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  services  of 
brother  C.,  set  his  foot  firmly  down  and  said,  "  He 
shall  not  go." 

This  brother  C.,  it  seems,  had  a  brother-in-law, 
Dr.  M.,  at  Peoria,  who,  together  with  himself,  felt  a 
strong  interest  in  securing  the  station  for  him  that 
year.  The  Doctor  raised  by  subscription  a  sum  of 
three  Hundred  dollars,  and  promised  to  risk  the  rest 
of  his  support.  A  request  was  then  sent  in  to  Con- 
ference, which,  as  I  have  said,  the  Bishop  perempto- 
rily refused.  I  preached  my  first  sermon  here  en- 
tirely ignorant  of  the  state  of  feeling  then  existing. 
As  I  rode  up  to  the  place,  on  Sabbath  morning, 
where  I  was  to  preach,  I  was  met  at  the  door  and 
asked,  "Where  is  brother  C. ?  We  sent  for  him, 
and  we  expect  him."  I  knew  nothing  of  the  matter, 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  125 

and  could  only  reply,  "I  am  sent  as  your  preacher." 
After  the  sermon  I  went  home  with  brother  Bristol 
to  dinner.  While  there,  Dr.  M.  came  in  to  make 
inquiry  about  brother  C.  When  he  was  told  that 
brother  0.  was  not  coming  he  seemed  much  excited, 
and  said,  "That  is  the  way  they  always  serve  us 
here.  I  raised  three  hundred  dollars,  and  could 
have  easily  raised  more,  and  now,  to  be  put  off  in 
this  way,  it  is  really  too  bad.  If  brother  C.  had 
come  he  would  have  built  us  a  church,  and  Method- 
ism would  have  been  something;  but  now  we  shall 
have  nothing  done."  The  Doctor  felt  badly  at  the 
prospect,  but  I  do  not  think  he  felt  worse  than  I  did 
at  the  vjelcome  I  had  received. 

Entering  upon  my  work  under  such  a  depression 
made  me  cling  closer  to  the  Lord  for  help.  On 
Monday  morning,  before  I  left,  I  visited  all  the 
members  in  town,  and  then  started  after  my  family* 
I  had  to  remove  them  one  hundred  and  twenty 
miles,  and  begin  another  year's  hard  labor.  When 
we  got  to  Peoria  the  only  house  we  could  obtain 
was  a  dilapidated  dwelling  which  had  long  been  the 
abode  of  rats,  whose  rights  to  our  home  were  pretty 
actively  contested  for  three  months.  One  day  while 
I  was  absent  from  home  Judge  Parker,  although  not 
a  member  of  our  Church,  nor  even  a  professor  of 
religion,  went  and  rented  a  comfortable  house  on  his 
own  responsibility,  and  offered  it  to  my  family  as  a 
home.  They  were  moved  and  comfortably  settled  be- 
fore I  came  back.  It  was  with  no  little  satisfaction 


126  EAELY   HISTOKY  OF  THE 

to  myself  and  family  that  this  change  for  a  better 
home  had  been  effected. 

Our  only  place  of  worship  was  brother  Bristol's 
carpenter-shop,  and  there  I  preached,  among  jack- 
planes  and  chisels.  The  shop  was  situated  on  an 
alley,  but  I  had  got,  by  this  time,  thoroughly  and 
earnestly  at  work,  and  we  had  excellent  meetings, 
many  souls  being  born  into  the  kingdom.  One  even- 
ing while  holding  meetings  we  had  a  crowded  house, 
and  many  came  who  had  to  go  away  again.  I  pro- 
posed the  building  of  a  new  church,  and  told  them 
if  they  would  be  led  by  me  they  would  soon  have  a 
new  church  to  worship  in.  The  next  morning  I 
was  met  on  all  sides  by  objections.  It  was  out  of 
the  question,  they  said,  to  build  a  church,  the  times 
were  so  hard  and  money  so  scarce,  as  every  one 
would  agree  who  knew  the  gloomy  prospect  of  '39 
and  '40;  besides,  what  made  matters  more  discour- 
aging, was  the  fact  that  about  two  years  previous 
an  attempt  had  been  made  to  build  a  frame  church. 
It  was  decided  by  a  reverend  brother  that  a  frame 
church  would  be  a  disgrace  to  Peoria,  and  they  must 
have  a  brick  church  or  none.  The  lumber  which 
had  then  been  collected  was  sold,  and  the  money  ob- 
tained for  it  pocketed  by  Mark  Hiken,  a  steward, 
My  informants  were  brothers  Bristol  and  Markle, 
both  members  of  the  Official  Board.  In  face  of  all 
these  objections  I  was  still  decided  that  we  could  have 
a  church.  I  said  to  them,  "  Well,  now,  let 's  decide 
upon  a  place ;  get  your  axes,  and  let 's  go  into  the 


WEST   AND   NORTH-WEST.  127 

woods,  fell  our  own  trees,  haul  them  up  on  the  snow, 
and  we  can  score  and  hew  our  own  logs.  I  will  beg 
lumber  at  the  different  saw-mills  to  raise  it,  and  we 
can  have  a  house." 

A  majority  fell  in  with  my  plans,  and  we  went  to 
work,  and  by  the  opening  of  Spring  we  had  the  tim- 
bers for  all  of  the  sills  and  plates.  Then  I  made  a 
"bee"  to  get  the  timbers  hewed,  and  also  secured 
the  studding.  One  Sabbath,  after  service,  I  told  the 
brethren  that  I  wished  to  see  them  all  on  the  ground 
the  next  morning,  as  I  intended,  by  the  next  Satur- 
day night,  to  have  the  timbers  all  framed  and  raised. 
The  invitation  was  extended  to  all;  every  one  that 
could  bore  with  an  auger  or  mortise  a  hole  was 
urged  to  be  on  the  ground.  Next  morning  only 
four  or  five  came  in  answer  to  the  call.  "Now," 
said  brother  Bristol,  "where  are  your  men?  I  felt 
exceedingly  small  when  you  were  urging  them  to 
come  out;  you  know  so  little  of  the  amount  of  work 
necessary  to  be  done.  I  thought,  by  the  way  you 
talked,  that  you  expected  to  see  all  Peoria  obedient 
to  the  call."  Said  I,  "Brother  Bristol,  I  appoint 
you  foreman  of  the  work.  Only  go  at  it  and  lay  out 
the  work,  and  I  will  have  hands  here  yet."  So  he 
and  those  who  were  present  went  to  work  in  good 
earnest.  About  noon  our  foreman  was  taken  sick, 
but  I  soon  found  another,  and  .the  work  went  on. 
Every  toper  that  I  found  in  the  village  I  urged  into 
the  work,  and  "  their  name  was  legion,"  because  the 
stagnation  was  so  great  that,  there  was  no  work  to 


128  EARLY  HISTORY   OP  THE 

be  had.  Still,  up  to  this  time,  I  had  no  foundation 
for  my  church.  In  circulating  among  the  people  I 
found  one  man  who  would  donate  brick,  and  seeing 
a  friend  in  the  street  with  his  horses  and  wagon,  I 
had  but  to  ask  and  I  received.  He  hauled  in  the 
brick.  Then  I  came  across  some  -masons,  who  kindly 
offered  to  lay  up  the  wall,  and  by  twelve  o'clock  on 
Saturday  afternoon  I  requested  all  the  workmen  to 
go  about  and  invite  every  one  they  should  meet  to 
come  and  help  raise  the  church  that  afternoon. 
They  came  pouring  in  from  all  quarters,  and  just  as 
the  sun  was  setting  the  frame  of  the  first  Methodist 
church  ever  built  in  Peoria  was  standing. 

It  was  predicted,  even  after  this  effort,  by  all  the 
other  denominations,  that  our  church  would  never  be 
completed.  Nothing  more  would  be  done,  they  said, 
and  the  timbers  would  rot  down.  The  next  step,  and 
the  hardest  one,  was  to  raise  money.  A  plan  was 
soon  hit  upon.  I  was  to  take  my  horse  and  buggy, 
and  traverse  the  State.  I  was  to  ask  each  man  for 
a  dollar,  and  as  much  more  as  he  would  give.  So 
off  I  started.  My  largest  subscription  was  twenty- 
five  dollars.  I  took  a  tour  through  Alton,  St.  Louis, 
and  Belleville,  and  returned  with  sixty-five  dollars. 
Then  my  next  resort  was  to  go  to  the  .saw-mills 
again.  I  was  successful  in  begging  flooring,  siding, 
and  sheeting.  One  friend  gave  me  a  large  red  oak 
tree;  this  was  for  the  shingles.  So  the  brethren 
went  out  and  felled  the  tree,  sawed  it  up,  hauled  it 
in,  and  hired  some  one^  to  turn  it  into  shingles.  One 


WEST   AND   NORTH- WEST.  129 

of  the  brethren  donated  poles  for  rafters,  which  were 
carted  four  miles ;  another  brother  hewed,  fitted,  and 
put  them  up.  Then  I  resorted  to  another  "  bee,"  in 
order  to  get  the  siding  planed  and  put  on,  Into  this 
siding  I  drove  the  first  nail.  I  then  pressed  another 
brother  into  the  good  work,  and  he  laid  the  floor. 
We  were  now  ready  for  plastering,  which  brother 
Loomis  agreed  to  do  if  some  one  would  put  on  the 
lath.  Another  "bee,"  and  another,  till  we  had  the 
building  nearly  complete.  We  put  in  a  temporary 
pulpit  and  seats,  and  I  held  my  last  quarterly  meet- 
ing in  it.  We  were  less  than  ten  dollars  in  debt, 
and  nearly  all  the  money  spent  on  it  was  raised  on 
my  tour  South. 

At  our  last  love-feast,  which  was  conducted  with 
closed  doors,  I  felt  unusually  liberal.  I  was  door- 
keeper, and  I  let  in  several  without  questions. 
Brother  King,  one  of  the  official  board,  came  to  me 
and  said,  "  Brother  Beggs,  what  do  you  mean  by 
letting  in  so  many  to  our  love-feast  ?  You  have  even 
let  in  old  Heaton."  Said  I,  "  I  do  n't  know  old 
Heaton;  but  go  back,  brother  King,  take  your  seat 
and  pray  on."  He  did  so,  and  our  meeting  grew  in 
interest,  till  I  opened  the  door  to  receive  members. 
The  first  man  who  presented  himself  was  "  old  Hea- 
ton " — as  they  called  him.  He,  with  a  number  of 
others,  joined  our  Church;  and  by  this  time  the 
moral  thermometer  in  Peoria  stood  at  salvation  heat ; 
and  the  power  of  the  Lord  came  down  in  such  a  won- 
derful manner  that  there  was  one  general  shout  of 


130  EARLY   HISTORY  OF  THE 

"Glory  to  God  in  the  highest!"  Our  shouting  was 
heard  almost  over  the  whole  city,  the  church  being 
nearly  central.  People  had  come  in  from  every 
direction  to  see  our  new  church,  and  it  was  not 
large  enough  to  hold  all  that  came.  One  of  the 
local  preachers  got  so  filled  with  holy  zeal  that  he 
ran  out  of  doors"  and  shouted  at  the  top  of  his 
voice,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest!"  They  had  not 
even  ceased  their  manifestations  of  religious  fervor 
and  zeal  when  the  hour  arrived  for  preaching.  This 
meeting  closed  up  my  Conference  year.  The  Church 
had  been  much  revived,  and  many  members  joined 
on  probation.  All  seemed  thankful  to  God,  and 
took  courage  for  the  future;  and  from  this  time  on- 
ward Methodism  had  a  stronghold  in  that  city.  It 
is  now  the  leading  denomination.  My  presiding 
elder  for  that  year  was  Newton  Benjamin. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  131 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

SOME  years  after  I  had  the  pleasure  of  being  at 
the  dedication  of  the  new  brick  church  in  Peoria, 
and  Bishop  Janes  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon; 
after  which  Dr.  M'Neal  read  the  history  of  the 
Church.  He  spoke  of  Rev.  Joseph  Arington  as  hav- 
ing formed  the  first  class  in  Peoria.  I  could  not  but 
smile  at  the  misstatement.  This  was  in  1834.  Nine 
years  before,  in  the  year  1825,  Jesse  Walker  formed 
a  class  of  sixteen  members.  I  give  their  names : 
Jesse  Walker  and  wife;  James  Walker  and  wife; 
sister  Dixon,  the  wife  of  the  proprietor  of  Dixon- 
town,  on  Eock  Eiver;  sister  Hamlin,  and  another 
sister,  converts  that  Winter ;  Wm.  Holland  and  wife ; 
Wm.'Eads  and  wife;  Wm.  Blanchard,  Rev.  Reeves 
M'Cormick,  and  Mary  Clark. 

The  next  Summer  he  held  a  camp  meeting  one 
mile  above  Peoria,  on  the  west  side  of  the  lake; 
Wm.  Holland  moved  up  an  old  log- cabin  for  his 
tent;  and  the  old  hero,  Jesse  Walker,  had  with  him 
his  son  and  others;  Reeves  M'Cormick  also  assisted. 

Wm.  Royal  was  T.  Hall's  predecessor  in  1832.  It 
was  then  called  Fort  Clark  mission.  The  boundaries 
of  Hall's  mission  in  1832  and  '33  were  as  follows : 
Peoria,  Lancaster,  now  La  Salle  Prairie;  brother 
Jones's,  on  Snack  Riyer;  Princeville,  Essex  school- 


132  EARLY  HISTORY   OF  THE 

house;  Fraker's  Grove,  now  Lafayette;  thence  to 
Princeton,  some  thirty  miles  distant;  and  thence  to 
Troy  Grove,  twenty-five  miles  farther;  brother 
Long's,  near  La  Salle;  and  thence  down  the  river 
to  Miller's  school-house,  five  miles  below  Peru. 
Then  next  to  John  Hall's,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  around.  Some  time  in  the  Spring  he  formed 
a  class  of  six  or  eight  persons.  Their  names  are  as 
follows :  Wm.  Eads  and  wife,  sister  A.  Hale,  sister 
Waters,  David  Spencer,  and  some  others,  John  Sin- 
clair, presiding  elder;  members  returned,  forty- 
eight.  Wm.  See  traveled  the  Peoria  circuit  in 
1827,  and  Smith  L.  Robertson  in  1828.  It  was 
then  a  large  circuit,  and  he  held  a  camp  meeting 
three  miles  east  of  Peoria,  on  Farm  Creek,  Sam.  H. 
Thompson  presiding  elder.  Jesse  Walker,  and,  I 
think,  Wm.  See,  assisted.  Gov.  Edwards,  the  first 
Governor  of  the  State,  was  then  present. 

They  had  a  gracious  time ;  yet  even  in  that  "early 
day  they  were  not  free  from  disturbance.  A  certain 
individual  was  sent  after  whisky,  and  who,  in  going 
for  it,  had  to  pass  the  camp-ground.  He  stopped 
to  hear  the  presiding  elder's  sermon.  After  its  close 
a  collection  was  taken  up,  and  the  money  designed 
for  whisky  (fifty  cents)  was  thrown  into  the  hat. 
When  he  returned  and  was  asked  where  his  money 
was  gone  to  replied,  "0  I  thought  .the  preacher 
needed  it  more  than  you  did  the  whisky." 

A.  E.  Phelps  was  my  predecessor  in  the  station, 
and  sustained  himself  well.  ^The  court-house  was 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  133 

occupied  by  a  Unitarian  preacher  as  well  as  him- 
self. One  day  the  former,  in  preaching  on  the 
Divinity  of  Christ,  ran  across  the  track  of  A.  E. 
Phelps,  and  so  he  pitched  into  the  Unitarian  cham- 
pion rough-shod,  and  so  completely  showed  the 
fallacy  of  his  doctrine  that  he  had  to  leave,  and  A. 
E.  Phelps  had  the  house  to  himself.  By  this  he  rose 
fifty  per  cent,  in  the  estimation  of  his  hearers.  Here 
commenced  his  brilliant  career  as  a  successful  cham- 
pion against  Unitarians,  Universalism,  Deism,  and 
Exclusive  Immersionists,  as  practising  the  only  mode 
of  baptism.  I  do  not  think  any  one  of  his  antagonists 
ever  got  the  better  of  him.  He  excelled  as  a  his- 
torian, and  was  truly  an  able  defender  of  Methodism. 
He  increased  in  usefulness  till  he  was  called  from 
his  labors  to  his  long  rest.  In  his  footsteps  follows 
a  son  that  bids  fair  for  a  useful  minister.  What 
greater  star  could  be  added  to  the  crown  of  glory 
of  a  departed  saint  than  that  his  sons  were  follow- 
ing in  his  footsteps? 

Jesse  Walker  was  born  in  Virginia,  Buckingham 
county,  near  James  River,  June  9,  1766.  He  was 
not  blessed  with  religious  parents,  yet  they  were 
moral,  and  taught  him  to  pray  while  yet  in  early 
life,  and  attend  Divine  worship  regularly.  Lying 
and  profane  language  were  strictly  forbidden.  His 
father  was  neither  rich  nor  poor,  and  taught  him. 
to  work.  From  his  youth  his  education  was  very 
limited,  his  schooling,  all  told,  consisting  of  but 
twenty  days. 


134  EAKLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

When  he  was  nine  years  old  his  mother  took  him 
to  a  Baptist  meeting;  here,  under  the  influence  of 
the  sermon,  was  his  first  awakening  to  his  individual 
responsibility  to  God.     After  this  he  often  reflected 
on  the  judgment-day,  and  the  miseries  of  an  interm- 
inable hell,  till  a  trembling  would  seize  him,  and 
then  would  he  begin  to  pray  in  earnest.     Soon  after 
this,  he  says :  "I  heard  another  preacher,  who  told 
me  how  to  pray  and  exercise  faith  in  believing  on 
the  Lord  Jesus.     The  next  morning,  as  I  was  walk- 
ing along,  the  Lord  gave  me  such  a  spirit  of  wrest- 
ling that  my  faith  took  hold  on   God;    and,  in  a 
moment,  such  a  light  broke  in  upon  my  soul,  and 
such  beams  of  Divine  love,  that  I  praised  his  hal- 
lowed name  for  the  unspeakable  riches  he  had  be- 
.    stowed  upon  my  poor  soul.     I  enjoyed  his  presence 
for  years;  but  no  one  having  spoken  to  me  about 
joining  the  Church,  I  consequently  did  not  present 
myself.     I  soon  began  to  mix  with  the  wicked,  and 
lost   my  enjoyment,  backsliding  from  one  thing  to 
another  till  I  became  very  wicked,  and  even  doubted 
my  conversion.      Then,   to   quiet   my  conscience,  I 
tried   to  believe  the  doctrines  of  Calvinism,  besides 
going  to  every  Baptist  meeting  to  confirm  myself  in 
the  dogma  of  fate.     In  my  most  solemn  moments  I 
could   not   believe  these  things   myself,  and   yet  I 
often   labored  hard   to  make  others   believe   them. 
My  besetting  sin  was  profanity,  which  was  often  a 
great  cause  of  grief  to  my  mother  and  sister.     The 
strivings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  had  left  me  and  I  often 


WEST  AND  NOKTH-WEST.  135 

feared  that  my  damnation  was  sealed,  and  that  the 
earth  would  open  and  swallow  me  up.  I  thought 
men  and  devils  had  combined  to  take  away  the  last 
vestige  of  comfort  that  was  left  me.  At  last  I  fell 
on  my  face,  and,  with  all  my  guilt  and  weight  of  sin, 
hell  seemed  to  move  from  beneath  to  meet  me  at 
my  coming. 

"  But  in  my  extreme  anguish  of  spirit  God  showed 
himself  unto  me ;  and  by  faith  I  realized  such  a  full- 
ness in  Jesus  that  I  once  more  ventured  out  on  his 
precious  promises;  and  I  found,  of  a  truth,  that  the 
virtue  of  his  blood  shed  for  me  had  healed  every 
wound  that,  sin  had  made.  Then  I  felt  to  exclaim, 
0  loving  Savior !  blessed  Jesus !  I  now  consecrate 
my  all  to  thee,  for  time  and  for  eternity;  thou  art 
the  one  altogether  lovely,  and  I  will  praise  thee 
with  all  my  powers.  Then  I  went  out  to  find  a  fel- 
low Christian,  that  I  might  talk  with  him  of  my 
newly  found  happiness.  It  was  on  the  Sabbath  day ; 
and  I  had  barely  commenced  telling  him,  when  he 
proposed  to  me  to  swap  horses.  I  regret  to  say  that 
this  man  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church ;  but 
so  it  was,  and  it  had  the  influence  to  turn  me  to 
seek  some  other  denomination  than  that  toward 
whose  members  I  had  always  felt  such  a  brotherly 
love.  I  remembered  that  there  was  a  Methodist 
class  meeting  about  twelve  miles  distant;  and  I 
turned  my  horse,  in  hopes  of  getting  there  before 
the  meeting  closed.  I  was  too  late ;  and  I  dis- 
mounted and  knelt  down  and  prayed  for  direction. 


136  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Then  I  remembered  that  the  members  were  to  re- 
turn by  a  certain  house,  and  I  staid  there  and 
awaited  their  arrival.  Their  songs  seemed  so  heav- 
enly that  they  exceeded  any  thing  that  I  had  yet 
heard.  When  they  began  to  talk  on  the  subject  of 
religion,  I  found  that  their  experience  was  like  my 
own,  and  that  it  was  no  more  nor  less  than  the  love 
of  God  shed  abroad  in  the  heart.  Then,  when  I  be- 
gan to  tell  them  what  God  had  done  for  me,  the 
power  of  the  Lord  came  down.  While  some  prayed, 
others  were  praising  and  singing ;  and  sinners  began 
to  cry  for  mercy.  The  meeting  continued  all  night. 
In  the  morning  I  returned  home,  rejoicing  on  my 
way,  and  blessing  God  for  what  I  had  seen,  and  for 
what  my  poor  soul  had  enjoyed.  When  I  got  home, 
and  told  them  of  God's  goodness,  they  thought  I 
was  crazy ;  and  my  exhortations  to  them  to  seek  the 
Lord  were  so  strange  to  them  that  I  feared  that  my 
message  was  as  seed  sown  by  the  wayside. 

"  It  was  not  long  before  I  visited  again  my  brethren 
in  class,  and  I  was  called  upon  to  lead  the  class.  It 
was  a  great  trial  to  me,  and  yet  I  bore  the  cross. 
During  our  exercises  the  Lord  poured  out  his  Spirit 
again.  Some  shouted  aloud,  and  others  cried  for 
mercy,  and  such  a  time  of  power  was  it  that  it  lasted 
till  dawn  of  day.  Such  a  meeting  I  had  never  wit- 
nessed before.  Soon  after  this  our  new  preacher  came 
on  from  Conference.  He  preached  with  great  power, 
and  invited  such  as  wished  to  join  on  trial  to  remain 
in  class.  I  embraced  this,  my  first  opportunity, 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  137 

and  joined  the  Church  in  July,  1786.  I  was  ap- 
pointed class-leader;  and  the  burden  of  lost  souls 
was  so  rolled  upon  me  that  I  gave  myself  up  wholly 
to  the  work.  Seeing  me  such  a  laborer  in  the  vine- 
yard, the  preachers  soon  wished  me  to  accompany 
them  on  the  circuit.  My  inability  kept  me  back  for 
some  time;  but  at  last  I  felt  the  command — 'Go 
ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  Gospel' — in 
such  an  imperious  manner  that  I  gave  myself  up  to 
the  great  work.  I  offered  myself,  and  was  received 
on  probation  in  1804,  and  appointed,  as  the  Minutes 
show,  to  the  Red  River  circuit ;  in  1805  to  Living- 
ston; in  1806  to  Hartford  circuit,  William  M'Ken- 
dree  presiding  elder." 

Thus  far  I  have  given  the  narrative  as  I  found  it 
in  manuscript.  I  shall  now  complete  it  as  I  heard 
it  from  the  lips  of  a  third  person.  In  the  Spring 
of  1806  brother  Walker  accompanied  William  M'- 
Kendree'  to  Illinois  to  spy  out  the  promised  land. 
He  found  it  so  beautiful  that  he  determined  at  once 
to  come  over  and  possess  it,  believing  that  here  was 
to  be  a  great  moral  conflict,  and  that  he  was  to  be 
the  Joshua  to  lead  on  his  spiritual  Israel  to  possess 
it.  On  his  return  he  continued  to  preach  on  his 
circuit  till  Conference,  and  then  he  was  sent  to  Illi- 
nois. He  hastened  home  to  his  family,  and  arrived 
there  about  twelve  o'clock.  He  told  them  of  his 
new  field  of  labor,  and,  after  some  refreshment,  com- 
menced packing  up  for  a  removal.  By  ten  o'clock 

the  next  morning  he  and  his  family  were  on  their 

12 


138  EAKLY  HISTORY   OF   THE 

way  to  Illinois.  Horses  were  their  only  means  of 
conveyance — four  in  all — one  for  himself,  and  one 
for  his  wife  and  youngest  daughter,  who  rode  be- 
hind her;  one  for  his  eldest  daughter,  about  eighteen 
years  of  age — now  sister  Everett,  who  gives  me  this 
interesting  account  of  the  early  settling  in  the 
West — and  a  fourth  for  his  library,  or  books  which 
he  had  for  sale. 

It  was  one  of  the  duties  of  preachers  in  those 
days  to  sell  books  to  those  among  whom  they 
labored,  and  it  was  one  of  the  great  means  in  dis- 
tributing the  truth  and  helping  to  build  up  the 
cause  of  Christ.  The  family  had  each  but  one 
change  of  apparel,  and  that  they  had  'spun  and 
woven  before  they  left  home.  They  brought  no  fur- 
niture, not  even  a  bed,  but  started  for  the  wilder- 
ness with  as  few  worldly  goods  as  possible. 

Soon  after  crossing  the  Ohio  Eiver  he  found  him- 
self and  family  fully  entered  into  the  Indian  Terri- 
tory. At  this  time  a  fearful  rain-storm  met  them, 
and  they  were  rejoiced  at  being  able  to  take  shelter 
in  a  deserted  wigwam,  even  drenched  with  water, 
besides  the  discomforts  of  cold  and  hunger.  They 
remained  here  three  days,  till  the  storm  had  sub- 
sided, and  the  streams  had  fallen  a  little.  They 
then  packed  up  and  plunged  again  into  the  wilder- 
ness, to  encounter  much  water  and  much  hard  labor, 
to  endure  hunger  and  long,  wearisome  rides,  till  they 
reached  Turkey  Hill,  a  settlement  in  Illinois,  and 
their  home  in  the  West.  Here  they  staid  with 


WEST  AND  NOKTH-WEST.  139 

brother  William  Scott  and  family,  a  whole-souled 
Methodist,  and  a  fast  friend  ever  after;  yet  here, 
with  all  their  plainness  of  apparel,  brother  Walker 
and  his  daughter  had  to  take  a  severe  lecture  from 
sister  Scott,  because  the  daughter  had  worn  a  dress 
with  short  sleeves,  or  those  which  came  only  to  the 
elbows,  as  was  the  fashion  in  those  days.  They 
looked  so  unmethodistic  to  sister  Scott  that  she 
could  not  forbear  speaking  to  them  of  the  sinfulness 
of  such  things. 

The  only  house  that  could  be  obtained  for  the 
preacher  and  family  was  an  old  log-cabin  belonging 
to  brother  Scott.  It  had  a  plank  floor,  and  a  stick 
chimney  with  a  hole  burned  out  in  the  back  so  large 
that  a  modern  cooking-stove  could  be  thrown  through 
it,  as  sister  Everett  expressed  it,  and  the  hearth  so 
low  down  that  the  edge  of  the  floor  made  seats  for 
the  whole  family  around  the  fire;  and  this  was  the 
parsonage  and  Winter  quarters  of  the  old  hero  of 
Methodism  in  Illinois.  Having  got  into  his  smoky 
house,  he  made  some  few  repairs,  and  arranged  them- 
selves as  well  as  their  circumstances  would  permit; 
he  entered  upon  his  labors  with  Methodistic  zeal, 
and  soon  the  good  work  began,  and  souls  were  con- 
verted. As  the  New- Year  drew  nigh  he  gave  out 
that  he  would  hold  a  watch-night.  It  was  a  great 
question  among  them  all,  "What  could  he  mean  by 
watch-night?"  And  he  replied  that  he  was  going 
to  watch  for  the  devil,  and  urged  them  all  to  come 
out.  The  result  was  a  crowded  house.  At  this 


140  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

meeting  was  held,  also,  the  first  love-feast.  It  was 
a  successful  one,  and  the  beginning  of  better  things. 
The  next  Spring  following  this  watch-night,  April, 
1807,  was  held  the  first  camp  meeting  in  the  State 
of  Illinois. 

To  show  to  what  rude  means  one  had  to  resort  at 
that  time,  we  can  relate  an  incident.  One  evening 
there  were  no  lights  to  be  had  on  the  camp-ground, 
and  it  was  also  very  windy.  An  old  lady  vol- 
untered  to  meet  the  difficulty.  Accordingly  she 
stepped  aside  and  doffed  a  white  cotton  skirt,  which 
she  had  suspended  as  a  lamp-shade.  Then  she 
caused  it  to  be  expanded  by  means  of  a  twig  bent 
in  a  circular  form — a  suggestion  of  hoops,  which  had 
not  been  thought  of  in  that  early  day.  Then,  for 
the  light,  she  scooped  out  a  large  turnip,  which  she 
filled  with  lard.  She  then  twisted  a  wick  of  cotton, 
and  rubbing  it  in  the  lard  set  fire  to  it  after  it  had 
been  suspended  inside  of  the  first  hooped-skirt  and 
lamp-shade  ever  used  in  Illinois.  By  this  light 
Jesse  Walker  was  able  to  preach  that  evening.  The 
preachers  present  were  Walker,  Biggs,  and  Charles 
Mathew,  exhorting  and  preaching  alternately. 

The  following  Spring  another  was  held  by  brother 
Walker.  The  ground  was  selected  in  the  following 
manner :  One  day  while  brother  Walker  was  looking 
for  a  suitable  place  for  holding  the  meeting,  he  came 
to  where  a  tree  had  been  torn  down  by  lightning. 
Here,  thought  he,  is  a  visible  display  of  God's 
power;  and  why  not  select  this,  as  we  may  have  a 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.     '  141 

display  of  his  mighty  power  for  the  salvation  of  souls  ? 
and,  as  if  inspiration  rested  on  him  for  a  moment, 
said,  in  a  very  impressive  manner,  "  Here  it  shall  be." 
The  usual  preparations  were  soon  made,  log-pens 
thrown  up  and  covered  with  clap-boards,  conven- 
iencies  for  fifty  -families.  These  tents  or  pens  encir- 
cled a  large  space  of  ground,  leaving  only  passage- 
ways out  into  the  open  forest.  On  Friday  morning 
the  meeting  commenced,  by  the  sounding  of  a  horn 
as  a  signal  to  rise;  then,  at  the  second  sounding, 
they  were  to  assemble  at  the  altar  for  prayer  before 
breakfast.  Having  assembled,  a  hymn  was  first 
lined  and  then  sung.  Those  assembled  on  this  morn- 
ing were  very  despondent,  as  the  presiding  elder, 
William  M'Kendree,  had  not  yet  arrived.  While 
they  were  yet  singing,  all  of  a  sudden  they  heard  at  a 
distance  the  sound  of  voices  as  if  joining  in  singing 
one  of  the  sweet  songs  of  Zion.  They  were  wel- 
come sounds  as  they  came  rolling  on  through  the 
forest,  and  attracted  the  attention  of  all  at  the  altar. 
And  as  they  drew  nearer,  we  caught  the  inspiration 
of  the  song,  in  which  they  were  pouring  out  their 
voices,  and  joined  in  the  melody.  It  was  our  elder, 
in  company  with  a  number  of  preachers;  and  the 
song  or  hymn  was  continued  amidst  hearty  hand- 
shakings, tears  and  smiles,  and  shouting  of  hosannas, 
which  continued  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  before 
the  preachers  could  get  off  their  horses.  Soon 
breakfast  was  served  up,  and  all  thereafter  were  at 
the  stand  ready  for  worship. 


142  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

William  M'Kendree  preached,  and  the  work  of 
the  Lord  commenced  with  great  earnestness  and 
zeal.  Those  who  accompanied  the  presiding  elder 
were  Abbot  Goddard,  James  Quinn,  Eev.  Killybrew, 
Thomas  Lathley,  and  Charles  Matheny.  The  meet- 
ing continued  till  Monday ;  great  power  was  manifest, 
and  many  were  brought  into  the  kingdom,  by  the 
blood  of  sprinkling.  One  week  after,  another  was 
held  a  few  miles  south  of  the  present  Edwardsville. 
The  first  camp-ground  was  called  Shiloh ;  the  second, 
Bethel,  and  the  third,  Eunice.  Col.  Shelby,  of  Ken- 
tucky, who  was  a  warm  personal  friend  of  brother 
Walker,  attended  some  of  these  meetings  in  com- 
pany with  the  elder. 


WEST  AND  NOKTH-WEST.  143 


CHAPTER  XV. 

I  SHALL  devote  the  present  chapter  to  statistics 
and  reminiscences  of  the  progress  of  Methodism  in 
the  Fox  Eiver  locality. 

In  1835  William  Eoyal  was  appointed  to  Fox 
Eiver  mission,  his  associate  being  Samuel  Pillsbury ; 
Wilder  B.  Mack  was  presiding  elder.  Brother  Eoyal 
formed,  as  well  as  traveled,  this  extensive  and  most 
laborious  circuit.  I  give  the  preaching-places  and 
the  classes  and  class-leaders,  so  far  as  I  have  in- 
formation : 

1.  Commencing  at  Millbrook,  on  the  Fox  Eiver; 
a  small  class. 

2.  At  brother  Wells's,  six  miles  south  of  Yorkville. 

3.  Daniel  Pearce's,  near  Oswego ;  a  small  class. 

4.  Samuel  M'Carty's,  near  Aurora ;  established  in 
1835. 

5.  Brother  Hammer's,  north-east  of  St.  Charles; 
a  small  class. 

6.  Eev.  Charles  Geary's,  six  miles  north  of  Na- 
perville. 

7.  At  Salt  Creek;  no  class. 

8.  At  Elk  Grove,  class  formed  in  1836;  members' 
names:  Eev.  Caleph  Lamb  and  wife,  Seth  Peck  and 
wife,  S.  Wheeler  (leader)  and  wife. 


144  EARLY  HISTORY   OF   THE 

9.  Wheeling — class-leader,    brother  Wissencroff; 
members,  his  wife,  sister  Filkins,  and  a  few  others. 

10.  Plum  Grove;  no  class. 

11.  Alexander's;  no  class. 

12.  Father  Noble's,  on  north  branch  of  Chicago 
River;  a  small  class. 

13.  Liberty ville ;    a   small    class    under    brother 
Brooks. 

14.  Ladd's,  near  the  State  line,  north. 

15.  Marsh's  Grove;  brother  Russell's. 

16.  M'Lain's,  at  Deer  Grove. 

17.  Dundee;  a  small  class. 

18.  Crystal  Lake. 

19.  Virginia. 

20.  Pleasant  Grove;  a  class. 

21.  Marengo. 

22.  At  Mason's,  two  miles  below  Belvidere. 

23.  Brother   Enoch's,    two    miles    north-east   of 
Bockford. 

24.  At  the  mouth  of  the  Kishwalky. 

25.  At  brother  Lee's;  a  class  of  six. 

26.  At  Judge  Daniel's ;  a  small  class  under  brother 
White. 

At  the  request  of  the  presiding  elder  I  assisted 
brother  Eoyal  in  holding  his  fourth  quarterly  meet- 
ing at  the  last-named  place ;  the  first  ever  held  near 
Sycamore,  or  that  far  north.  This  was  in  1836. 
About  one  hundred  were  present  on  the  Sabbath. 
The  meeting  was  very  successful,  and  from  that 
time  .the  work  has  gone  steadily  on.  Each  success- 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  145 

ive  minister  has  had  new  zeal  and  new  success,  so 
that  Methodism  is  now  the  leading  denomination  in 
that  section.  Monday  morning,  on  our  return  to 
Millcreek,  brother  Royal  had  two  appointments — 
one  at  Squaw  Grove,  the  27th,  on  his  round.  From 
here  we  went  on  immediately  to  Samanauk,  the 
28th  preaching-place  on  the  four  weeks'  circuit,  re- 
quiring preaching  every  day.  I  preached  here  after 
having  ridden  thirty  miles  on  Monday,  at  brother 
Hough's,  the  class-leader's,  and  after  preaching  four 
times  at  the  quarterly  meeting. 

In  1837  W.  Clark  was  appointed  to  Du  Page  cir- 
cuit, which  was  a  part  of  Fox  Eiver  mission.  That 
Fall,  brother  Wilcox  formed  the  first  class  in  Au- 
rora. He  preached  at  first  in  Samuel  M'Carty's 
house ;  afterward  in  a  small  school-house.  The  first 
class  consisted  of  brother  M'Carty  and  his  sister, 
now  sister  Hill,  and  a  few  others.  The  first  church 
edifice  in  Aurora  was  built  in  1843,  the  member- 
ship numbering  from  thirty  to  forty.  The  Board 
of  Trustees  consisted  of  brother  M'Carty,  C.  H. 
Goodwin,  P.  Brown,  0.  E.  Goodwin,  and  John  Gib- 
son. The  building  was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of 
twenty  feet  in  1852.  Brother  Wilcox  was  a  fine 
preacher,  an  excellent  pastor,  very  punctual  in  all 
his  duties.  In  1838  he  was  returned,  William 
Gaddis  being  his  assistant.  He  formed  the  first 
class  in  Plum  Grove,  consisting  of  brother  Smith 
and  wife,  Joseph  Smith  and  wife,  and  Seth  Peck 

and  wife. 

13 


146  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

In  1839  William  Kimball  and  William  Gaddis 
were  the  preachers,  John  Clark  presiding  elder. 
In  1840  William  Kimball  returned  to  Du  Page  cir- 
cuit, John  T.  Mitchell  presiding  elder.  In  1841 
John  Nason  and  Seymour  Stover  were  the  preachers, 
John  Sinclair  presiding  elder.  They  were  returned 
in  1842,  Levi  Jenks  assistant  preacher.  In  1843  E- 
Springer  and  M.  L.  Noble  were  the  preachers,  S.  H. 
Stocking  presiding  elder.  In  1844  the  name  was 
changed  to  St.  Charles  circuit,  E.  Springer  and  Wil- 
liam Gaddis  preachers,  J.  E,.  Goodrich  presiding 
elder.  In  1845  Solomon  Stebbins  and  L.  A.  Chapin, 
James  Mitchell  presiding  elder.  In  1846  S.  Steb- 
bins returned.  In  1847  S.  Bolles  and  C.  Lazenby, 
John  Chandler  presiding  elder.  In  1848  B.  Lowe 
and  W.  J.  Smith,  M.  Bourne  presiding  elder.  In 
1849  F.  Harvey,  H.  Minard,  A.  L..Eisley  presiding 
elder.  In  1850  T.  Hall,  S.  Guyer,  J.  Baume,  L. 
Hitchcock  presiding  elder.  In  1851  E.  A.  Blanch- 
ard,  L.  Hitchcock  presiding  elder.  In  1852  E.  H. 
Gammon,  L.  Hitchcock  presiding  elder.  In  1853  S. 
Serl,  S.  P.  Keyes  presiding  elder.  In  1854  E. 
Brown,  S.  P.  Keyes  presiding  elder.  In  1856  Au- 
rora was  made  a  station  under  charge  of  J.  C. 
Sanford,  E.  H.  Gammon  presiding  elder.  This 
year  Aurora  enjoyed  a  gracious  revival,  the  fruit, 
under  God,  of  one  of  brother  Sanford's  most  earn- 
est and  faithful  efforts. 

In  1859  I  visited  Aurora,  and  going  to  church  on 
Sunday  morning  discovered  brother  Sanford  in  the 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  147 

pulpit.  He  urged  me  to  preach  on  recognizing  me, 
but  I  preferred  to  hear,  and  enjoyed  one  of  the  most 
charming  discourses  that  I  ever  heard.  Accompa- 
nying him  home  to  dinner,  we  received  a  call  from 
the  priest  of  the  parish,  who  wished  to  ask  some 
questions  if  I  felt  free  to  answer.  He  wanted  to 
know,  in  the  first  place,  whether  there  was  any  dif- 
ference between  the  Methodism  of  fifty  years  ago 
and  the  present.  I  thought  I  could  point  out  some 
differences.  To  begin  with,  I  had  traveled  nine 
years  before  I  saw  a  Methodist  preacher  use  notes 
in  speaking.  Moreover,  I  thought  that  not  one-half, 
perhaps  not  one-quarter  of  the  Methodists  of  those 
days  could  have  got  into  love-feast  had  the  sisters 
then  dressed  as  they  do  now.  Members  of  both 
sects  could  be  recognized  as  such  almost  as  far  as 
they  could  be  seen.  I  related  an  anecdote,  in  illus- 
tration of  this,  of  a  girl  under  conviction,  who, 
hearing  of  a  Methodist  meeting  fifteen  miles  distant, 
started  on  foot  to  go  to  it.  Arriving  near  the 
church,  she  came  to  where  two  roads  met.  Uncer- 
tain which  to  take,  she  concluded  to  sit  down  till 
the  people  should  come  along,  and  follow  those  wear- 
ing plain  coats  and  bonnets.  I  thought  that  Meth- 
odists might  still  be  known  by  their  dress,  since 
now  they  dressed  so  much  finer  than  many  other 
people.  That  reminded  the  priest  of  a  little  occur- 
rence. He  took  his  daughter,  a  few  days  before,  to 
a  milliner  to  purchase  a  bonnet.  After  looking  at 
several,  which  were  thought  too  gay,  he  asked  what 


148  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

kind  of  bonnet  the  Methodist  ladies  wore.  "  0,"  re- 
plied the  milliner,  "they  are  the  most  fashionable 
people  in  Aurora." 

When  I  entered  the  church  in  the  morning  I  had 
noticed  that  brother  Sanford  appeared  very  much 
puzzled.  He  explained  the  matter  as  follows:  "I 
had,"  he  said,  "prepared  full  notes  for  one  of  my 
best  sermons;  but  to  have  you  in  the  pulpit  and 
see  me  use  them  would  spoil  all.  Not  to  ask  you, 
an  old  minister,  into  the  pulpit,  I  should  feel  to  be 
unkind.  So,  after  revolving  the  matter  over,  I  de- 
termined to  ask  you,  and  if  you  would  not  preach,  I 
would  take  a  text  and  preach  off-hand."  "  Bless 
the  Lord!"  said  brother  Jenks,  "I  have  not  heard 
you  preach  so  good  a  sermon  since  you  have  been 
on  the  station ;  and  if  brother  Beggs's  presence  will 
continue  to  add  so  much  to  your  efforts,  I  hope  he 
will  favor  us  with  it  every  Sabbath." 

The  second  quarterly  in  Ottowa  was  held  in 
1833,  on  which  occasion  I  formed  the  first  class.  In 
the  Winter  of  1834  our  quarterly  meeting  was  held 
at  the  house  of  sister  Pembrook.  The  people  came 
from  a  distance  of  ten  miles.  Brother  Olmsted,  a 
new-comer  to  the  State,  and  living  some  distance  up 
the  Illinois  Kiver,  heard  of  the  meeting  and  came; 
and  sister  Pittzer  came  from  a  distance  up  Fox 
Eiver.  The  love-feast  Sunday  morning  was  at- 
tended with  great  power.  The  preachers  present 
were,  John  Sinclair  presiding  elder,  William  Royal, 
and  myself.  Sister  Pittzer  became  very  happy,  and, 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  149 

though  sixty  years  of  age,  seemed  to  renew  her 
youth  under  Divine  influences/  Her  loud  shouts 
of  " Glory  to  God!"  alarmed  a  sister  of  another  de- 
nomination, who  thought  a  word  of  caution  neces- 
sary. Taking  the  arm  of  the  old  sister  she  said, 
"Do  thyself  no  harm."  "Bless  the  Lord!"  ex- 
claimed the  good  sister,  "religion  never  harmed 
any  body  yet!"  Brother  Sinclair  and  I  preached 
alternately;  each  taking  his  turn  at  exhorting. 
Brother  Eoyal  was  mighty  in  prayer.  Brother  Olm- 
stead  was  so  delighted  with  his  first  quarterly  meet- 
ing that  he  told  a  brother  that  if  he  only  had  brother 
Beggs  to  preach,  brother  Sinclair  to  exhort — for  he 
was  mighty  therein — and  brother  Eoyal  to  pray,  he 
wanted  no  more. 

In  1847  Du  Page  circuit  was  changed  to  Naper- 
ville.  I  give  the  subsequent  statistics :  In  1847  J. 
S.  Best  preacher,  J.  Chandler  presiding  elder ;  mem- 
bers, 276.  In  1848  S.  E.  Beggs  and  C.  Batch- 
elor  preachers,  M.  Bourne  presiding  elder;  mem- 
bers, 270.  In  1849  0.  A.  Hunger  preacher,  A. 
L.  Eisley  presiding  elder;  members,  270.  In  1850 
J.  C.  Stoughton  preacher,  A.  L.  Eisley  presiding 
elder;  members,  186.  In  1851  J.  L.  Jenkins 
preacher,  John  Sinclair  presiding  elder;  members, 
189.  In  1852  J.  P.  Vance  and  A.  Holcomb 
preachers,  John  Sinclair  presiding  elder;  members, 
184.  In  1853  E.  Beatty  preacher,  S.  P.  Keyes 
presiding  elder ;  members,  273.  In  1854  0.  House 
preacher;  S.  P.  Keyes  presiding  elder;  members, 


150  EAELY  HISTORY   OF   THE 

206.  In  1855  0.  House  preacher,  J.  Flowers 
presiding  elder;  members,  214.  In  1856  B.  Close 
preacher,  J.  W.  Agard  presiding  elder;  members, 
192.  In  1857  both  returned;  members,  192.  In 
1858 — Downer's  Grove  embraced — J.  Note  preacher, 
J.  W.  Agood  presiding  elder;  members,  174.  In 
1859  E.  Stone  preacher,  L.  Hitchcock  presiding 
elder;  members,  172.  In  1860  S.  Burdock  preacher, 
E.  M.  Boring  presiding  elder;  members,  142.  In 
1861  both  returned;  members,  144.  In  1862  J.  T. 
Hannah  preacher,  E.  M.  Boring  presiding  elder; 
members,  120.  In  1863  both  returned;  members, 
120.  Methodism  has  always  had  up-hill  work  on 
this  charge,  and  so  have  other  denominations,  except 
the  Evangelical  Germans  and  the  Catholics;  nor  does 
the  prospect  seem  more  flattering. 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  151 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  present  chapter  contains  statistics  and  remi- 
niscences of  the  early  days  of  Methodism  in  Illinois 
at  large,  and  especially  in  Wabash  Eiver  and  middle 
localities  of  the  State,  with  a  historical  sketch  of 
early  explorations  in  localities  embraced  in  the 
narrative. 

The  first  Methodist  preacher  in  Illinois  was  Joseph 
Lillard.  He  was  admitted  on  trial  in  Kentucky  in 
1790,  in  which  year  he  traveled  the  Limestone  cir- 
cuit, traveling  the  Salt  Eiver  circuit  in  1791.  The 
next  we  hear  of  him  is  in  1793,  in  Illinois.  It  is 
claimed  that  he  formed  the  first  class  in  this  State 
in  that  year,  in  New  Design  settlement,  some  dis- 
tance south  from  Salem  meeting-house,  Captain 
Joseph  Ogel  leader.  The  next  regular  preacher  was 
Hosea  Eiggs.  He  arrived  in  1796,  and  his  useful 
labors  continued  uninterrupted  till  1841,  in  which 
year,  at  the  age  of  eighty-one  years,  he  died  at  his 
home,  a  few  miles  east  of  Belleville. 

In  the  year  1804  Benjamin  Young  came  to  Illinois 
as  a  traveling  preacher  on  the  missionary  work. 
Lewis  Garrett  was  presiding  elder.  Governor  Eey- 
nolds  states,  in  his  history  of  Illinois,  that  Young  fre- 
quently preached  at  his  father's  house,  in  Eandolph 
county,  and  was-  the  first  preacher  he  remembers 


152  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

hearing.  He  traveled  over  the  entire  American 
settlements.  Subsequently,  in  1805,  brother  Riggs 
preached  at  his  father's  house.  These  were  the  first 
religious  meetings  ever  held  in  Eandolph  county. 
Eev.  Thomas  Harrison  emigrated  to  Illinois  in  1804, 
and  continued  to  preach  the  Gospel,  more  or  less, 
during  the  subsequent  half  century.  In  1805  Jo- 
seph Oglesby  traveled  the  Illinois  circuit — a  good 
preacher,  who  labored  with  marked  success.  I  heard 
him  in  1820.  He  stood  full  six  feet,  very  straight, 
had  dark  hair,  a  penetrating  eye  "beneath  a  promi- 
nent forehead,  and  a  thin,  tapering  face.  His  man- 
ner was  very  dignified,  and  his  gestures  very  correct, 
and  his  whole  manner  impressive.  The  effect  of  his 
discourse  was  sometimes  overwhelming.  He  once 
preached  at  my  camp  meeting  on  the  Vincennes  cir- 
cuit, from  the  text,  "  The  Master  is  come,  and  call- 
eth  for  thee."  The  audience,  saint  and  sinner,  was 
completely  carried  away,  and  I  was  so  overcome 
that  I  did  not  feel  that  I  could  preach  for  a  week 
afterward. 

The  first  settlement  in  Edgar  county  was  made  in 
the  Spring  of  1817,  on  the  arm  of  Grand  Prairie, 
by  John  Stratton,  Win.  Whitley,  Blackman,  and  a 
few  others.  Col.  Jonathan  Mayo  came  in  the  Fall 
of  the  same  year.  This  territory  was  then  within 
the  bounds  of  Edwards  county.  Illinois  did  not  be- 
come a  State  till  the  following  year.  Terre  Haute, 
Indiana,  was  laid  out,  and  a  few  lots  sold  in  1816. 
Government  land  was  entered  at  that  time  at  two 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  153 

dollars  per  acre,  one-fourth  down,  and  the  balance  in 
two,  three,  and  four  years.  The  Vermilion  circuit 
was  the  first  formed  in  this  region,  in  the  Fall  of  1823 ; 
H.  Vredenburg  preacher,  S.  H.  Thompson  presiding 
elder.  The  circuit  embraced  Edgar,  Clark,  and 
Vermilion  counties,  in  Illinois,  and  Vermilion  and 
Vigo  counties  in  Indiana — that  portion  of  the  latter 
lying  west  of  the  Wabash  River.  The  appointments 
ran  thus :  Mount  Carmel,  Wm.  M'Reynolds ;  Wa- 
bash and  Mount  Vinnonia,  W.  H.  Smith  and  C. 
Eiddle;  Kaskaskia,  T.  B.  Leach;  Illinois,  John 
Dew  and  0.  Fisher;  Cash  River,  Joseph  Patterson; 
Shoal  Creek,  John  Davis  and  Jesse  Green;  Sanga- 
mon,  John  Miller;  Mississippi,  Isaac  Piggott;  Ver- 
milion, H.  Vredenburg  and  R.  Delap, 

The  first  class  formed  in  this  section  was  in  1819, 
in  the  house  of  Jonathan  Mayo,  on  the  north  arm 
of  Grand  Prairie,  by  Joseph  Curtis,  who  had  just 
emigrated  from  Ohio;  a  worthy  and  efficient  local 
preacher.  The  first  quarterly  meeting  conference 
was  on  the  same  prairie,  at  the  house  of  Rev.  John 
M'Reynolds;  Col.  J.  Mayo  was  recording  steward; 
H.  Vredenburg  was  preacher  in  charge;  S.  H. 
Thompson  presiding  elder.  The  Illinois  Conference 
embraced  Indiana  also — two  districts  in  each — John 
Strange  and  James  Armstrong  presiding  elders  in 
Indiana,  and  Charles  Holliday  and  S.  H.  Thompson 
in  Illinois. 

These  two  States  had  13,042  members,  and  forty- 
four  traveling  preachers.  Not  one  of  these  is  now 


154  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

a  member  of  the  Illinois  Conference  except  the 
noble-hearted,  iron-framed  pioneer,  Peter  Cart- 
wright.  Prominent  among  the  preachers  of  that 
day  was  John  Fox,  of  precious  memory — neat  in 
person  and  attire,  correct  in  his  preaching,  diligent 
in  pastoral  visitation,  strict  in  administration  of  dis- 
cipline, and  powerful  in  prayer — his  labors  never 
failing  to  result  in  the  salvation  of  souls.  This  year 
closed  the  labors  of  Rev.  C.  Holliday  as  presiding 
elder.  He  was  my  elder  when  I  was  on  the  Vin- 
cennes  circuit,  and  few  men  ever  proved  a  greater 
blessing  to  me.  The  precision  and  directness  of  the 
appeals  in  his  edifying,  soul-stirring  sermons,  pro- 
duced effects  which  remained  fresh  and  powerful  for 
weeks.  In  1833  James  M'Kean  and  T.  Files  were 
appointed  to  Paris  circuit,  both  men  of  great  service 
to  the  Church.  Brother  Files  has  a  son  still  living 
in  Clark  county,  a  worthy  and  efficient  steward  in 
the  Church.  Rev.  H.  Crews  and  Gr.  W.  Bobbins 
were  very  successful  presiding  elders  on  the  Danville 
district.  The  latter  was  somewhat  slow  of  speech, 
but  always  paid  his  hearers  for  waiting.  Brother 
Crews,  now  of  Rock  River  Conference — of  whom  a 
biography  is  given  in  another  chapter — is  among 
the  most  popular  and  useful  of  those  occupying  the 
same  responsible  position  in  his  Conference.  In  Ed- 
gar county  the  Methodist  Church  still  maintains  its 
original  position  in  advance  of  other  denominations. 
Brother  Exum  Evans  was  one  of  a  large  family 
that  moved  from  North  Carolina  with  their  father, 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  155 

and  settled- in  Clark  county  in  1812.  His  parents 
were  Quakers,  after  the  "most  straitest"  of  which 
sect  the  children  were  all  raised.  They  made  their 
home  in  the  midst  of  a  large  Quaker  settlement 
near  York,  not  far  from  the  line  of  Crawford  county. 
They  held  their  meetings  in  a  small  log  school-house, 
and  strictly  forbade  their  children  going  to  the  Meth- 
odist meetings.  Brother  Exum  did  not,  therefore, 
hear  a  Methodist  preacher  till  he  was  fifteen  years 
old.  When  on  a  visit  to  his  uncle's,  Eev.  brother 
Stewart  held  a  two  days'  meeting,  assisted  by  brother 
Hearn.  Exum  Evans  heard  Stewart  here,  who,  as 
he  describes,  preached  with  such  power  and  assur- 
ance that  his  message  seemed  to  come  from  God. 
Such  preaching  he  had  never  heard  before.  When 
brother  Hearn,  whose  appearance  was  not  so  pre- 
possessing as  some,  arose  to  follow  Stewart,  Exum 
was  afraid  he  would  spoil  all  that  had  been  said; 
but  to  his  astonishment  the  stream  of  eloquence 
deepened  and  widened,  till  it  became  overwhelming 
and  irresistible,  and  great  power  of  the  Spirit  at- 
tended the  Word. 

The  meeting,  says  Exum,  greatly  prepossessed  us 
in  favor  of  Methodism.  It  took  place  at  the  log- 
cabin  of  brother  Isaac  Snipes,  who  was  the  leader 
of  the  first  class  ever  formed  in  that  section.  It 
consisted  of  brother  J.  Snipes  and  Nancy  his  wife, 
Archibald  Comstock  and  Charity  his  wife,  and 
Sally  Millard  and  Elizabeth  Park.  It  was  held 
about  three  miles  south  of  York. 


156  EARLY   HISTOKY  OF  THE 

Some  fifteen  years  after  this,  Eev.  Wm.  Crissey 
came  upon  this  circuit,  and  held  a  protracted  meet- 
ing in  a  school-house  in  the  same  neighborhood.  It 
continued  till  there  were  about  eighty  converted, 
one-half  of  whom  were  Quakers,  young  and  old. 
Brother  Exum  was  among  nine  children  who  em- 
braced religion  and  joined  our  Church,  as  did  also  his 
brother  before  his  death.  Mr.  Maffitt,  in  describing 
the  Eastern  preachers,  spoke  of  their  method  as  being 
as  a  general  rule  systematic  and  phlegmatic ;  but  the 
Western  preachers — their  voice  was  like  a  mountain 
horn.  Our  camp  meetings  were  peculiarly  the 
school  of  this  style,  in  which  the  appeals  had  all  the 
freedom  of  the  open  air  and  the  winds,  and  the  di- 
rectness and  speed  of  the  lightning.  I  attended  such  a 
meeting  at  Mount  Carmel  in  1825,  over  which  S.  H. 
Thompson,  presiding  elder,  presided.  The  converts 
in  those  days  were  born  strong  into  the  kingdom, 
and  entered  it  shouting.  Charles  Slocomb,  who  la- 
bored in  the  Wabash  region,  was  such  a  preacher  as 
I  have  described — a  local  preacher,  yet  his  ministra- 
tions invariably  attended  with  great  power. 

At  the  above  camp  meeting  a  most  hardened  sin- 
ner was  forced  to  cry  for  mercy,  under  one  of  his 
powerful  discourses.  He  was  portraying  the  misery 
of  the  damned,  when  this  man,  an  old  Revolutionary 
soldier  who  had  been  standing  on  the  outskirts  of 
the  throng,  came  rushing  toward  the  altar,  crying 
at  the  top  of  his  voice,  "Quarter!  quarter!"  Fall- 
ing on  his  knees  he  exclaimed,  "I  am  an  old  soldier; 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  157 

I  fought  through  the  Revolutionary  war;  I  have 
heard  the  cannon  roar  in  battle,  and  seen  the  blood 
pour  forth  in  streams;  but  since  God  made  me,  I 
have  never  heard  such  cannonading  as  this.  I 
yield!  I  yield!" 

I  add,  as  appropriate  in  this  connection,  brief  rem- 
iniscences of  early  Methodism  in  Sangamon  county. 
Sangamon,  in  the  Pottawotamie  language,  means  a 
plenty  to  eat;  or,  expressed  in  Scripture  parlance, 
a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey.  But,  in  fact, 
about  all  of  Illinois  is  as  good  as  Sangamon,  and 
equally  attractive.  In  June,  1822,  a  colony  of  six 
families  moved  into  this  county  from  Kentucky,  and 
settled  on  Nigger  Creek.  They  were  Methodists, 
and  brought  with  them  tracts  and  Testaments. 
They  at  once  formed  a  Sabbath  school,  M.  Conover 
superintendent.  It  soon  numbered  thirty-five  schol- 
ars and  four  teachers,  mostly  Presbyterians  and 
Baptists — some  beginning  with  the  alphabet  and 
learning  to  read  the  New  Testament. 

Sister  Catherine  C.  Eucker,  from  whom  I  re- 
ceived this  information,  stated  that  one  old  Baptist 
was  so  afraid  of  Sabbath  schools  that,  when  solicited 
to  send  his  children,  he  replied  that  he  would  as 
soon  send  them  to  a  horse-race.  But  he  was  finally 
induced  to  send  them ;  and  he  was  so  pleased  with 
their  progress  that  he  gave  liberally  toward  the 
purchase  of  more  books.  The  first  camp  meeting  in 
Sangamon  county  was  held  in  the  Fall  of  1823,  or 
1824,  at  Rock  Creek,  Gorden  Prairie.  There  were 


158  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

about  nine  tents,  and  a  congregation  of  perhaps 
eight  hundred  on  the  Sabbath.  James  Simms  con- 
ducted it.  He  was  a  powerful  preacher.  The  meet- 
ing continued  three  or  four  days. 

As  soon  as  the  State  Government  was  established, 
emigration  began  to  increase,  and  there  continued  to 
flow  in  a  more  wealthy  and  permanent  population. 
The  State  purchased  land  and  made  better  settle- 
ments, schools  were  established,  and  houses  of  wor- 
ship were  erected  in  many  colonies.  The  farmers 
raised  a  surplus  of  produce,  mills  were  built,  and 
considerable  was  exported;  commerce  began  to 
assume  a  regularity  which  is  necessary  to  its  per- 
manence and  success.  The  people  were  greatly  in 
debt,  however,  and  the  dearth  of  currency  retarded 
the  prosperity  of  the  new  State  in  a  great  measure, 
yet  not  entirely.  In  April,  1829,  Abner  Eads,  J. 
Hervey,  and  some  others,  left  St.  Glair  county,  and 
located  in  Peoria.  This  was  the  first  settlement  of 
this  city  by  Americans. 

A  few  years  after  our  Indian  agency  was  estab- 
lished here,  Marquette,  and  Joliet,  of  Quebec,  with 
others,  in  1671,  determined  to  explore  the  land  to- 
ward the  setting  sun  and  the  father  of  waters,  the 
Mississippi.  On  the  13th  of  May,  1673,  a  little 
band  of  seven  left  with  two  bark  canoes,  in  which 
they  carried  a  scanty  store  of  provision,  bound  they 
knew  not  where.  After  reaching  Green  Bay  they 
entered  Fox  Eiver,  and  in.  their  ascent  endured 
much  hard  labor  and  suffering.  They  reached  the 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  159 

Kickapoos  and  Miamies'  village,  beyond  which  point 
no  white  man  had  ever  traveled.  The  natives  were 
astonished  at  their  daring  and  enterprise,  and  on  the 
10th  of  June  they  left  their  village  with  two  braves 
to  guide  and  assist  them  through  the  Sac  nation 
and  the  marshes  of  that  region  to  a  navigable  point 
on  Wisconsin  River. 

After  praying  fervently  to  the  mother  of  Jesus 
for  protection,  they  committed  themselves  to  the 
vast  flowing  river,  till  upon  the  17th  of  June  they 
entered  the  Mississippi.  Marquette  says  of  this, 
"  It  is  impossible  to  express  the  joy  which  I  felt 
when  I  first  found  myself  on  the  bosom  of  this 
mighty  river.  The  abundance  of  birds  and  fishes 
and  their  tameness  was  astonishing  to  me.  A  large 
fish  came  near  breaking  our  canoe  in  pieces."  Their 
voyage  was  increased  in  pleasantness  in  their  re- 
ception, by  a  tribe  of  Indians,  the  Illinois.  After 
many  complimentary  speeches  and  presents,  a  great 
feast  was  given  to  .the  Europeans,  consisting  of 
honey,  fish,  and  roast  dog.  After  the  feast  they 
were  paraded  through  the  town  with  great  cere- 
mony and  speech-making,  and  escorted  to  their 
canoes  by  six  hundred  people. 

The  rolling  tide  soon  bore  them  to  the  Pekitanoni, 
or  Missouri ;  thence  passing  a  dangerous  rock  in  the 
river,  came  to  the  Ohio,  a  stream  which  makes  but 
a  small  figure  in  Father  Marquette's  map.  •  At 
the  mouth  of  the  Arkansas  they  were  attacked  by 
some  warriors,  and  had  nearly  lost  their  lives;  but 


160  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

Marquette  resolutely  presented  the  pipe  of  peace,  and 
this  softened  the  hearts  of  the  old  men.  They  were 
permitted  to  go  on  their  journey.  After  some 
difficulty  they  reached  the  Illinois  River,  through 
which  they  sailed  up  to  the  lake.  "No  where  on  my 
journey,"  says  Marquette,  "did  I  see  such  grounds, 
meadows,  and  forests  as  on  this  river — the  abund- 
ance of  game,  buffalo,  deer,  wild-cats,  bustards,  swans, 
ducks,  and  beavers." 

In  September  the  party,  without  loss  or  injury, 
reached  Green  Bay,  and  reported  their  discoveries; 
an  important  one  in  that  day,  but  of  which  we 
have  no  record  save  the  brief  narrative  of  M.  Joliet. 
These  were  the  first  Europeans  that  passed  through 
our  State.  La  Salle  was  their  successor. 

The  Roman  Catholics  were  the  first  to  plant  the 
standard  of  the  Cross  in  the  Mississippi  Valley. 
From  Canada  to  New  Orleans  they  labored  to 
Christianize  the  savage  and  the  scattered  white 
population;  but,  after  all,  what  has  Jesuitism  done 
to  Christianize  this  great  valley  compared  with  the 
results  of  evangelical  efforts?  The  State  and  river 
takes  its  name  from  a  tribe  of  Indians  called  the 
Illinois.  The  word  is  a  mixture  of  French  and 
Indian. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  161 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

IN  1828  Jesse  Walker  was  superintendent  of  Fox 
Eiver  mission,  John  Dew  presiding  elder.  In  1829 
the  name  changed  to  Salem  mission.  Peter  Cart- 
wright  was  then  presiding  elder,  and  Isaac  Scarritt 
preacher  in  charge.  Jesse  Walker  was  sent  to  Des- 
plaines  mission,  and  the  same  year  he  formed  a  class 
at  Walker's  Grove.  This,  I  think,  was  the  first 
class  in  the  bounds  of  the  Eock  Eiver  Conference, 
but  as  soon  as  the  mission  was  abandoned  the  class 
was  given  up.  This  same  year  Jesse  Walker  settled 
in  Walker's  Grove,  now  Plainfield.  The  names  of 
the  above  class  were  as  follows:  Jesse  Walker  and 
Susannah  his  wife,  James  Walker  and  wife,  brother 
Fisk  and  wife,  Timothy  B.  Clark  and  wife,  brother 
Weed  and  wife — about  twelve  in  all. 

This  same  year  there  was  a  class  formed  in  Galena 
by  John  Dew ;  yet  when  I  examine  closely  I  have  to 
decide  in  favor  of  Plainfield's  being  the  first  perma- 
nent class.  In  the  year  1833  I  succeeded  Jesse 
Walker,  commencing  in  the  Fall  of  1832.-  I  took 
charge  of  Desplaines  mission,  Jesse  Walker  presiding 
elder.  In  the  Winter  of  1833  the  first  temperance 
meeting  was  held  in  this  upper  country.  The  speak- 
ers were  Mr.  Arnold,  James  Walker,  and  myself. 
We  made  considerable  effort,  which  was  productive 

14 


162  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

of  some  good;  yet  we  were  partially  shorn  of  our 
strength,  there  being  a  small  store  in  the  place, 
where,  among  other  things,  whisky  was  kept  for  sale, 
and  as  the  firm,  two  of  the  leading  men  present, 
would  not  sign  the  pledge,  it  kept  many  others  back. 
Yet  those  who  did  sign  stood  firm,  and  we  have  con- 
tinued to  battle  for  the  cause  of  temperance  ever 
since. 

We  then  raised,  by  the  assistance  of  brother  Boss, 
a  permanent  fund  of  $15,000,  by  means  of  which  we 
drove  the  last  doggery  from  Plainfield.  These  same 
efforts  might  be  made  in  other  places  were  they  to 
continue  unitedly  and  perseveringly.  May  the  Lord 
pity  the  faint-hearted,  and  make  them  more  than 
ever  bold  and  able  advocates  of  this  great  cause! 
This  year  was  closed  with  some  conversions;  mem- 
bers returned,  thirty-four. 

In  the  Fall  of  1833  I  was  returned  to  Desplaines 
mission.  This  was  the  year  when  the  tide  of  specu- 
lation rolled  in  upon  us  of  which  I  have  before  made 
mention.  The  year  closed  with  a  membership  of 
fifty-seven,  J.  Sinclair  presiding  elder.  In  the  Fall- 
of  1834  David  Blackwell  was  my  successor — a  fine 
young  preacher  and  a  good  pastor.  He  was  on  the 
ground  to  receive  all  emigrants,  who,  by  this  time, 
were  very  numerous,  both  from  the  East  and  South. 
The  year  closed  with  a  good  camp  meeting.  The 
members  returned  numbered  one  hundred  and  sev- 
enteen, J.  Sinclair  presiding  elder.  He  was  returned 
in  the  Fall  of  1835,  with  W.  B.  Mack  presiding 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  163 

elder.  He  had  a  pleasant  year,  with 'some  increase; 
members  returned,  one  hundred  and  sixty. 

In  the  Fall  of  1836  the  name  was  changed  to 
Joliet  circuit,  and  I  was  appointed  here,  with  M.  Tur- 
ner for  my  colleague,  W.  B.  Mack  presiding  elder. 
This  year  hard  riding,  much  labor,  and  great  suc- 
cess ;  members  returned,  two  hundred  and  fifty-three, 
embracing  Plainfield.  In  this  year  I  got  up  a  sub- 
scription to  build  a  church  in  Plainfield.  It  was 
soon  under  way,  and  finished  before  the  hard  times 
set  in,  but  it  was  a  long  time  before  we  paid  off  its 
debt.  The  Baptists  built  one  also,  about  the  same 
time,  and  we  soon  had  two  churches  to  worship  in, 
and  a  glorious  revival  was  the  result.  In  1837,  on 
my  return  to  Joliet,  I  got  up  a  subscription,  and  a 
church  was  commenced  which  William  Crissey,  my 
successor,  finished  the  next  year.  He  was  a  good 
preacher,  a  faithful  pastor,  and  possessed  a  good 
business  tact.  He  had  a  good  revival,  and  a  return 
of  two  hundred  and  thirty-seven  members.  The  de- 
crease is  accounted  for  by  a  division  of  the  work. 

Forked  Creek  circuit  was  formed  in  1838.  Wil- 
liam Crissey,  A.  Chenoweth,  and  myself  as  super- 
numerary, were  the  preachers.  This  year  our  labors 
were  so  successful  that  our  members  numbered  one 
hundred  and  eighty-eight.  In  1839  a  new  circuit 
was  formed  called  Milford,  Elihu  Springer  preacher 
in  charge,  and  J.  Sinclair  presiding  elder.  This  cir- 
cuit embraced  all  east  of  Fox  Eiver,  with  Oswego 
and  Plainfield.  The  same  preachers  and  presiding 


164  EARLY   HISTORY    OF  THE 

elder  were  returned  in  1840,  and  a  gracious  revival 
was  experienced,  especially  in  Plainfield.  Such  a 
time  of  confession  and  humiliation  on  the  part  of  the 
members  of  all  denominations  had  never  been  wit- 
nessed, and  the  result  was  the  conversion  of  sinners 
and  the  building  up  of  membership  of  all  Churches. 
Dr.  Comstock's  labors  were  greatly  blessed.  He  had 
but  few  equals  in  preaching,  and  the  Word  came 
with  power  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  year 
he  returned  two  hundred  and  four  members. 

In  1841  the  Conference  appointed  Eufus  Lum- 
mery  and  H.  Hadley,  with  J.  Sinclair  presiding 
elder.  This  year  Eufus  Lummery  became  dissatis- 
fied with  Methodist  customs  and  left,  taking  as 
many  with  him  as  he  could  persuade  to  follow  his 
example,  and  joined  the  Wesley ans.  Members  re- 
turned, two  hundred  and  fifty.  In  1842  Wesley 
Batchelor  and  K.  E.  Wood  preachers,  J.  Sinclair 
presiding  elder.  A  good  year  and  labors  blest; 
members  returned,  two  hundred  and  sixty-four.  In 
1843  S.  F.  Denning,  S.  H.  Stocking  presiding  elder; 
faithful  in  their  labors;  yet  hard  work  and  poor 
pay.  Number  returned,  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
four.  In  1844  S.  E.  Beggs  and  John  Hewter,  Luke 
Hitchcock  presiding  elder.  We  had  at  Plainfield  a 
good  revival  and  a  number  added  at  other  points, 
embracing  Morris,  Conger's,  and  Grleason's  Eidge; 
number  returned,  three  hundred  and  thirty-five.  In 
1845  Levi  Jenks  and  James  W.  Burton,  L.  Hitch- 
cock presiding  elder.  The  preachers  were  much 


WEST  AND   NOETH-WEST.  165 

beloved,  and  kept  the  work  in  a  healthy  condition; 
number  returned,  three  hundred  and  twenty-nine. 
In  1846  John  Agard  and  W.  B.  Atkinson,  M.  Bourne 
presiding  elder;  number  returned,  three  hundred 
and  sixty-six.  In  1847  A.  Wolliscraft  and  J. 
Lazenby,  M.  Bourne  presiding  elder;  number  re- 
turned, three  hundred  and  fifty-seven.  Had  a  good 
revival  at  Lisbon  and  Plainfield. 

In  1848  Plainfield  was  made  a  station,  Jonathan 
Stoughton  preacher,  M.  Bourne  presiding  elder. 
Some  extensive  revivals.  Both  men  returned  in 
1849.  Conference  held  at  Plainfield  this  year.  In 
1850  S.  Stover,  one  of  our  best  preachers,  a  strict 
disciplinarian;  members  returned,  one  hundred  and 
forty-seven.  In  1851  S.  Stover  was  returned.  He 
labored  faithfully  as  preacher  and  pastor,  with  more 
pruning  of  unprofitable  members.  Our  condition 
as  a  Church  might  be  better  to-day,  if  more  mem- 
bers were  lopped  off.  Yet  we  had  additions,  how- 
ever, to  keep  up  our  number,  one  hundred  and  forty- 
seven.  Quarterage  light.  How  much  the  Church 
still  owes  to  her  faithful  preachers!  Their  untiring 
labors  can  never  be  repaid  this  side  heaven.  In 
1852  David  Cassiday  was  appointed  at  Plainfield. 
The  way  was  prepared  for  a  good  work,  and  he 
commenced  in  earnest.  His  labors  were  greatly 
blest,  0.  A.  Walker  presiding  elder;  number  re- 
turned, one  hundred  and  eighty-nine.  In  1853  he 
was  returned  and  had  another  prosperous  year,  0. 
A.  Walker  presiding  elder.  A  number  of  conver- 


166  EARLY  HISTORY   OF  THE 

sions;  members  returned,  three  hundred  and  sixteen. 
In  1854  0.  A.  Walker  and  M.  L.  Eeed;  Plainfield 
and  Lockport  united;  J.  W.  Flowers  presiding 
elder;  members  returned,  two  hundred  and  four- 
teen. In  1855  S.  A.  W.  Jewett,  0.  A.  Walker  pre- 
siding elder.  In  1855  he  was  returned.  In  1857 
Eobert  Betty,  a  good  preacher,  and  one  who  at- 
tended to  all  the  wants  of  the  Church,  both  small 
and  great;  J.  Gibson  presiding  elder;  number  ol 
members,  one  hundred  and  ninety-five.  In  1858 
Eobert  Betty  was  returned,  and  left  the  station 
in  a  healthy  state;  number  of  members,  one  hund- 
red and  ninety-five. 

In  1859  A.  W.  Page  preached  well  and  visited 
the  membership.  We  had  this  year  the  most  ex- 
tensive revival  that  we  had  ever  enjoyed — convic- 
tions pungent,  conversions  strong  and  clear ;  and 
before  the  meeting  closed  there  had  been  about  two 
hundred  forward  for  prayer,  and  one  hundred  had 
joined  the  Church;  members  returned,  three  hund- 
red. In  1860  he  was  returned,  J.  Gibson  presiding 
elder;  more  pruning,  and  strict  discipline;  number 
of  members,  two  hundred  and  forty-ifour.  In  1861 
Eobert  K.  Bibbins ;  membership  diminished  by  prun- 
ing, removals,  and  deaths,  to  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
four;  J.  Gibson  presiding  elder.  In  1862  he  was 
returned;  had  some  conversions  and  additions;  he 
was  respected  and  beloved,  yet  was  not  fully  appre- 
ciated; number  of  members,  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
seven.  In  1863  C.  C.  Best.  He  requested  a  change, 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  167 

owing  to  many  obstacles  in  the  way  of  his  getting 
to  Plainfield,  and  brother  M'Reading  was  supplied. 
He  was  a  fine  preacher  and  a  good  pastor,  and  had 
some  conversions ;  number  of  members,  two  hundred. 
In  1864  Isaac  Lyonbarger  entered  on  the  work 
with  great  zeal,  both  in  preaching  and  visiting;  and 
through  his  efforts  the  Sabbath  school  interest  was 
greatly  blessed.  During  his  stay  we  had  a  revival 
equal  to  brother  Page's,  in  1859,  perhaps  greater. 
Some  valuable  and  steadfast  accessions  were  made; 
yet,  during  his  stay,  there  was  some  falling  off; 
presiding  elders  were,  first,  H.  Crews,  and,  last, 
brother  Stewart.  In  1867  M.  Smith,  a  good 
preacher,  powerful  in  exhortation  and  prayer.  We 
had  a  number  of- conversions,  forty  additions,  and  a 
donation  of  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars. 

In  the  presence  of  Bishop  Roberts  and  myself  Dr. 
Cartwright  related  the  following  anecdote:  At  one 
of  the  Annual  Conferences  the  Bishop  was  detained 
on  account  of  sickness,  and  R.  R.  Roberts  was 
elected  Chairman  to  fill  his  place.  The  place  was 
filled  so  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Conference 
that  they  determined  to  elect  him  Bishop  a't  the 
next  General  Conference.  The  first  morning  after 
they  had  all  collected,  Dr.  Cartwright  looked  across 
the  room  and  saw  a  fine,  portly  looking  man,  and 
asked  a  brother  who  that  was  ?  Said  he,  "  That  is 
Robert  R.  Roberts  " — he  was  so  active  and  expert  in 
business,  and  withal  so  pleasant,  that  he  was  ad- 
mired by  all  the  Conference. 


168  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

When  the  time  for  the  election  of  Bishops  came 
he  cast  in  his  vote,  so  mirthful  and  so  jovial  as  if 
all  was  going  on  to  his  greatest  satisfaction.  When 
the  votes  were  counted,  and  it  was  found  that 
Roberts  came  near  being  elected  Bishop,  the  respons- 
ibility, in  view  of  so  great  an  office,  seemed  to  over- 
come him  and  he  was  entirely  unmanned.  He  left 
the  room  and  sought  a  retired  place  outside  in  the 
grounds,  where  he  paced  back  and  forth  in  the 
greatest  perturbation,  and  it  seemed  that  he  would 
sink  under  the  responsibility.  I  have  seen  but  few 
men  that  I  thought  were  possessed  of  more  excellent 
traits  of  character  than  Bishop  Eoberts. 


WEST  AND  NORTH- WEST.  169 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

DURING  the  great  rebellion  in  the  South  I  had  a 
great  anxiety  to  participate  in  our  struggle  for  lib- 
erty; but  there  was  no  opportunity  till  September 
14,  1864,  when  the  way  opened  for  me  to  spend 
six  weeks  in  the  work  of  the  Christian  Commission. 
Leaving  home  I  arrived  at  St.  Louis  at  the  above 
date.  As  I  could  not  get  passage  on  a  boat  for  two 
days,  I  entered  immediately  on  my  work  there,  by 
distributing  books  and  papers  among  the  sick  in  the 
hospitals.  In  Hickory-Street  Hospital  I  conversed 
with  about  thirty  members  on  the  subject  of  relig- 
ion; and  held  a  class  meeting,  inquiring  into  their 
spiritual  condition,  encouraging,  reproving,  and  ex- 
horting throughout  the  entire  hospital.  I  never 
knew  before  how.  peculiarly  adapted  to  hospital 
visiting  our  class  meetings  were. 

I  also  visited  Jefferson  Barracks,  and  preached  to 
some  of  the  most  hardened  men.  I  do  not  think  I 
should  have  succeeded  in  getting  them  together  had 
it  not  been  for  one  of  their  number,  who,  although 
somewhat  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  said,  "  Boys, 
be  still,  he  is  an  old  man,  and  he  must  and  shall 
have  a  hearing."  He  then  made  them  all  sit  down, 
and  he  assisted  me  in  singing.  After  prayers  I 

15 


170  EARLY   HISTORY  OF  THE 

preached  and  distributed  some  papers  and  books 
among  them,  exhorting  each  one  to  prepare  to  meet 
his-  God.  On  Monday  morning  I  went  on  board  the 
steamboat  Post  Boy.  The  water  was  low,  which 
made  our  passage  somewhat  slow.  We  had  a  mixed 
company  on  board  of  professors  and  irreligious;  yet 
I  preached  to  a  very  attentive  audience,  and  prayed 
that  it  might  bring  forth  fruit  abundantly.  I  dis- 
tributed books  to  the  soldiers  on  board.  We  stopped 
a  short  time  at  Cairo,  and  then  set  sail  for  Mem- 
phis, where  were  the  rooms  of  the  Christian  Com- 
mission, to  which  I  was  bound. 

My  field  of  labor  was  assigned  me  at  Memphis 
and  vicinity.  I  visited  all  the  hospitals,  and  also 
the  prisons,  preaching,  praying,  and  conversing  with 
all,  both  sick  and  well.  I  believe  I  never  gave  my 
time  up  more  fully  to  the  work  than  I  did  during 
the  two  months  that  I  spent  on  this  mission.  I  gener- 
ally preached  three  times  on  the  Sabbath,  and  several 
times  through  the  week.  Once,  as  I  was  preaching 
to  the  prisoners,  some  sitting,  some  standing,  and 
others  lying  down,  one  of  the  soldiers  slipped  a  pack 
of  cards  into  my  pocket.  I  had  three  more  appoint- 
ments on  that  day,  and  seven  miles  to  travel.  For 
fear  of  having  them  seen  I  slipped  them  into  another 
pocket,  and  forgot  the  circumstance  till  some  one 
called  on  me  for  a  Testament.  I  drew  out  the  pack 
of  cards,  supposing  I  had  found  one.  Judge  of  my 
surprise  and  mortification  as  I  handed  them  out  in 
presence  of  quite  a  number  of  persons.  I  explained 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  171 

the  matter,  however,  and  said  that  I  was  taking 
them  back  to  commit  to  the  fire  for  safe-keeping. 

On  my  return  I  was  invited  to  preach  at  Hawley 
Springs  by  a  brother  of  another  denomination,  who 
was  preaching  and  teaching  in  the  colored  Baptist 
church.  I  consented  to  go  the  next  Sabbath  in  the 
afternoon.  I  had  to  preach  at  half-past  nine  on  an 
iron-clad  gun-boat.  After  the  morning  service  I 
walked  three  miles  to  my  appointment.  I  took 
dinner  with  the  high-priest  of  the  parish,  and  was 
accompanied  to  the  church  by  him  and  two  colored 
brethren,  all  of  whom  sat  in  the  pulpit.  When  I 
got  about  half  through,  the  darkey  burst  into  a  pro- 
longed roar  or  shout,  which  so  drowned  my  voice 
that  I  stopped,  when  they  commenced  shaking  hands 
and  shouting  the  louder,  till  one,  in  passing  the 
pulpit,  reached  me  his  hand,  shouting,  "Glory  to 
God  for  de  true  Gospel!"  The  shouting  then  sub- 
sided, and  I  finished  my  sermon  with  an  invitation 
for  all  who  wished  an  interest  in  our  prayers  to  rise 
up;  and  not  a  few  did  so.  I  dismissed  the  meeting 
with  a  farewell  till  we  should  meet  above. 

During  my  stay  I  visited  the  monument  of  An- 
drew Jackson,  and  found  the  following  inscription 
recorded  upon  it: 

ANDREW  JACKSON, 

THE  SEVENTH  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 
Inaugurated  Jan.  8,  1859. 

THE  FEDERAL  UNION  MUST  BE  PRESERVED. 

Honor  and  gratitude  to  those  wfto  have  filled  the  measures  of  their  country's  glory. 
Erected  in  the  City  Court  Square. 


172  EARLY  HISTORY   OF  THE 

The  second  line,  "The  Federal  Union/'  etc.,  had 
been  partly  chiseled  out  by  the  rebel  soldiers. 

My  time  having  expired  I  packed  up  my  effects, 
and  was  soon  on  board  the  steamer  and  breasting  a 
heavy  current  of  the  Father  of  Waters.  Some  time 
in  the  evening  our  boat  struck  a  snag,  and  tore  out 
the  wheel-house  and  some  of  the  paddles  of  the 
wheel,  which  disabled  us,  and  we  were  obliged  to 
cast  anchor  till  morning;  then  we  made  our  way 
back  to  Memphis  as  best  we  could,  and  the  next 
evening  we  started  on  another  boat.  We  were  forty 
miles  up  the  stream  when  one  of  the  passengers 
wished  the  Captain  to  land  his  boat  and  take  on 
some  fruit,  assuring  him  that  there  was  no  danger 
of  rebels,  as  there  were  two  fires — the  signal  of 
safety — to  be  seen  burning  on  shore.  He  landed, 
and  about  twenty-five  hands  went  on  shore  to  assist 
in  bringing  in  the  fruit,  when  the  rebels  commenced 
firing  with  small  arms,  and  poured  a  volley  of  lead 
into  our  boat.  Some  of  them  came  on  board  and 
demanded  a  surrender,  and  threatened  the  engineer 
if  he  did  not  surrender  they  would  blow  out  his 
brains.  They  were  told  to  go  to  the  pilot.  They 
then  ran  into  his  cabin,  crying,  "Surrender,  sur- 
render." Major  Smith,  one  of  our  paymasters,  said 
to  them:  "Do  not  be  in  a  hurry."  The  rebels  re- 
plied by  shooting  him  through  the  breast,  and  he 
fell  to  the  floor.  Major  Beler  ran  down  on  the  bow 
of  the  boat,  and  met  one  of  the  rebels;  both  fired, 
and  both  were  killed. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  173 

This  attack  commenced  about  midnight.  Another 
rebel  was  shot  in  the  breast,  and  when  we  reached 
'Cairo  he  was  yet  alive.  One  negro  was  badly 
wounded.  I  was  in  bed,  and,  hearing  the  noise,  it 
was  some  moments  before  I  realized  what  was  going 
on.  The  roar  of  guns,  the  cry  of  do  n't  surren- 
der, intermingled  with  oaths,  aroused  me  to  a  sense 
of  our  danger.  Hastily  dressing,  and  putting  my 
money  in  the  bottom  of  my  socks,  anticipating  the 
plunder  of  my  boots,  I  went  out.  The  balls  were 
yet  pouring  into  the  sides  of  the  boat,  and  most  of 
the  passengers  lying  flat  on  the  boat  to  escape  the 
shots.  The  table  at  which  there  had  been  card-play- 
ing was  upside  down,  the  players  having  left  it  in 
some  haste.  Those  having  money  were  proposing  to 
give  the  women  half  if  they  would  secure  it.  Every 
one  seemed  panic-struck,  from  the  Colonel  dpwn  to 
the  private.  A  number  of  soldiers  were  on  board, 
but  mostly  those  who  were  on  a  furlough,  having 
left  their  arms,  and  only  a  few  had  revolvers.  By 
this  time  the  boat  was  getting  out  from  shore,  and 
the  rebels,  finding  some  of  their  number  killed, 
jumped  overboard.  It  is  doubtful  whether  they 
reached  the  shore ;  and  those  who  had  gone  on  shore 
for  the  fruit  were  probably  taken  prisoners.  The 
rebel  that  was  killed  proved  to  be  a  sergeant  whose 
family  lived  in  Iowa,  as  some  of  his  papers  showed. 
We  were  told  that  the  man  who  persuaded  the  cap- 
tain to  land  had  laid  this  plot  before  leaving  Mem- 
phis. After  this  we  went  on  pleasantly  till  we 


174  EARLY   HISTORY  OF  THE 

reached  Cairo,  and  here  we  assisted  some  sick  sol- 
diers on  board  the  cars,  making  them  as  comfortable 
as  we  could. 

I  left  for  St.  Louis,  and  arriving  there  late  in  the 
afternoon  on  Saturday,  I  spent  the  Sabbath  again  in 
Jefferson  Barracks.  I  preached  at  half-past  ten  to 
a  very  attentive  audience,  and  with  some  liberty. 
They  had  a  Methodist  chaplain.  He  had  an  appoint- 
ment at  two  o'clock  in  the  chapel,  and  requested  me 
to  preach.  We  had  a  full  house,  and  all  attentive. 
The  audience  was  made  up  of  some  of  several  denom- 
inations, and  some  hardened  old  sinners.  Before  I 
got  through  the  power  of  the  Lord  was  manifest 
among  them.  There  were  earnest  inquirers  after 
everlasting  life,  and  shouting  and  amens  came  near 
drowning  my  voice. 

After  the  meeting  closed  I  was  introduced  to  the 
chaplain  who  was  to  preach  in  the  evening — a 
brother  Ives,  of  the  Baptist  persuasion.  I  found 
that  I  had  known  him  favorably  at  Plainfield.  He 
urged  me  to  preach  again  in  the  evening,  till  finally 
I  consented.  The  house  was  full,  and  our  meeting 
was  more  powerful  than  in  the  afternoon.  It  was 
then  proposed  that  I  should  remain  there  a  week 
holding  meetings,  but  I  would  not  consent  to  this, 
having  made  my  arrangements  to  be  at  home.  Ac- 
cordingly I  left  on  Monday  morning,  greatly  de- 
lighted at  having  been  able  to  do  something  in 
behalf  of  those  who  were  doing  so  much  for  their 
country. 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  175 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

EXTRACTS   FROM   METHODISM  IN  CHICAGO,  GIVEN   BV  GRANT  GOODRICH. 

THE  first  quarterly  meeting  in  Chicago  was  held 
by  Jesse  Walker,  and  John  Sinclair  presiding  elder. 
There  were  present  at  that  communion,  William 
Lee,  a  local  preacher,  and  wife;  Charles  Wisencraft 
and  wife;  Henry  Whitehead,  Mrs.  K  J.  Hamil- 
ton, and  Hannah  Harmon.  Some  of  them  are  still 
living.  The  meeting  was  held  in  Watkins's  school- 
house,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river.  It  was  at  this 
meeting  that  Rev.  Henry  Whitehead  received  license 
to  preach.  This  and  the  old  log  school-house,  in 
which  I  formed  the  first  class,  were  used  as  places  of 
public  worship  by  the  Methodists ;  and  when  the  tide 
of  emigration  poured  in  so  rapidly,  they  found  them- 
selves straitened  for  room.  Early  in  the  Spring  of 
1834  brother  Whitehead  and  Mr.  Stewart  contracted 
to  build  a  small  but  comfortable  house  of  worship, 
on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  on  the  corner  of  North 
Water  and  Clark  streets.  It  was  pushed  forward 
with  great  energy  to  an  early  completion.  Jesse 
Walker  preached  here  every  Sabbath,  being  a  sta- 
tioned preacher,  and  was  assisted  in  preaching, 
praying,  and  exhortation  by  the  local  preachers. 

From  this  time  Methodism  began  to  flourish ;  and 
its  proportion  to  other  denominations,  was  as  five  to 


176  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

seven  till  near  1850.  In  1834  John  Sinclair,  our 
present  veteran  and  presiding  elder,  was  in  charge 
of  the  district  extending  from  Salt  Creek,  east  to 
the  Wabash  and  west  to  the  Mississippi,  and  all 
north  of  Kock  Island  to  the  last  white  man's  cabin ; 
embracing  a  larger  territory  than  the  present  Eock 
Eiver  Conference.  Finding  that  wherever  he  had 
been,  Walker  had  been  there  before  him,  and  being 
ambitious  to  preach  Christ  first  to  some  of  the  new- 
comers, he  heard  of  a  family  that  had  just  settled 
at  Eoot  Eiver — now  Eacine — and  made  all  haste  to 
bear  them  the  offer  of  eternal  life.  Coming  by  the 
way  of  Chicago,  he  met  brother  Walker;  inquiring 
after  his  health,  he  was  told  that  he  (Walker)  was 
well,  but  very  tired,  as  he  had  just  been  to  look 
after  a  family  recently  settled  at  Eoot  Eiver.  In 
despair  Sinclair  gave  up  the  hope  of  the  honor  he 
had  counted  upon  as  unattainable. 

To  the  zeal  and  efficiency  of  John  T.  Mitchell, 
Chicago  Methodism  is  greatly  indebted.  He  gave 
to  the  Church  a  thorough  organization,  and  laid  the 
foundations  of  her  future  usefulness  and  stability. 
At  the  Conference  of  1836  Eev.  Otis  T.  Curtis 
succeeded  him — a  quiet,  amiable,  and  pious  man, 
but  wanting  in  that  controlling  energy  and  efficiency 
demanded  by  the  circumstances  and  the  times.  In 
the  general  commercial  crash  which  succeeded,  few 
kof  the  members  escaped.  There  were  some  who 
were  so  grieved  at  the  loss  of  their  wealth  that 
they  turned  their  back  on  God,  despising  the 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  177 

treasures  at  his  right  hand.  The  integrity  of  others 
was  not  proof  against  the  sore  trials  of  the  times; 
but  especially  sad  was  the  ignominious  fall  of  our 
presiding  elder,  W.  B.  Mack.  The  outbreaking* 
crimes  and  scandalous  conduct  of  some  of  our  mem- 
bers, who  had  been  active  and  prominent  in  the 
Church,  fell  in  quick  succession  with  crushing 
weight  upon  the  faithful  few,  and  with  our  pecun- 
iary embarrassments,  threatened  to  overwhelm  and 
scatter  them  with  shame  and  confusion. 

There  has  never  been  a  time  in  the  history  of 
Methodism  in  Chicago  when  false  brethren,  wicked 
men,  and  tempting  devils  seemed  so  near  the  accom- 
plishment of  its  destruction  as  at  this  period.  We 
felt  that  we  were  the  scoff  and  scorn  of  the  wicked 
and  the  reproach  of  .  the  good.  By  the  standard- 
bearers  of  our  beloved  Church  the  cause  of  God  had 
been  deeply,  foully  dishonored.  Deep  was  the  hu- 
mility to  which  God  brought  his  children  for  their 
want  of  fidelity  against  the  allurements  of  worldly 
wealth.  He  took  his  fan  in  his  hand — blessed  be  his 
name ! — not  to  sweep  away,  but  to  purge  and  purify 
his  Church. 

Still  there  were  faithful  ones  who  survived,  orna- 
ments to  the  religion  of  Christ,  who  remember  with 
trembling  and  holy  gratitude  those  dark  and  terrible 
days  when  the  death-agonies  seemed  upon  our  man- 
gled and  bleeding  Zion,  and  how  the  few  that  yet 
remained  faithful,  with  sad  hearts  and  bowed  heads, 
gathered  around  their  almost  forsaken  altars,  and 


178  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

humbling  themselves  before  God  with  tears  and  ago- 
nizing prayers,  besought  the  world's  Eedeemer  for 
mercy  and  for  help. 

At  the  Conference  of  1837,  in  answer  to  the  pray- 
ers of  His  children  for  a  Joshua  to  lead  them  out  of 
the  wilderness,  God  sent  Eev.  Peter  E.  Borein,  of 
blessed  memory,  whose  name  never  falls  on  my  ear, 
who  never  rises  to  my  thoughts  but  a  holy  influence 
comes,  and  an  impulse  toward  heaven,  whither  he 
has  gone;  and  there  comes,  too,  that  last  injunction 
which  fell  from  his  lips  as  the  waters  of  Jordan  were 
closing  over  him,  "Be  faithful;  be  faithful  unto 
death."  He  came  in  the  fullness  of  the  Gospel,  bur- 
dened  with  the  love  of  Christ  to  dying  men.  He 
gathered  his  feeble  flock  around  him  and  breathed 
into  them  something  of  his  own  mighty  faith,  and 
with  them  at  the  feet  of  the  Eedeemer  cried  for  help, 
till  salvation  was  poured  as  in  a  mighty  torrent  upon 
the  people. 

During  the  Winter  of  1837-8  quite  a  number 
were  converted,  some  of  whom  are  still  living;  but 
compared  with  the  work  of  the  succeeding  year  the 
revival  was  quite  limited. 

At  the  Conference  of  1838  Borein  was  returned; 
and  owing  to  the  poverty  of  his  charge  a  missionary 
appropriation  was  obtained  for  that  year  by  the  pre- 
siding elder,  Eev.  John  Clark.  The  little  church 
building  was  removed  from  the  north  side  to  Clark- 
street,  the  site  of  the  present  church,  and  was  en- 
larged to  twice  its  size. 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  179 

In  December  a  revival  commenced,  deep,  wide- 
spread, and  powerful.  From  this  time  till  April 
brother  Borein  held  meetings  every  night,  and  fre- 
quently during  the  day.  Night  after  night,  with 
tireless  zeal,  he  poured  forth  the  arrows  of  God's 
truth ;  he  followed  the  smitten  sinner  into  his  home, 
into  his  shop,  and  even  pursued  him  to  the  haunts 
of  dissipation;  and,  with  pleadings  and  entreaties 
that  seemed  almost  resistless,  besought  him  to  be 
reconciled  to  God.  The  house,  from  first  to  last, 
was  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity,  and  the  altar 
was  thronged  with  penitent  souls.  Concern  for  the 
soul  seemed  to  swallow  up  every  other;  more  than 
three  hundred  were  converted,  most  of  whom  united 
with  the  Church,  comprising  about  one-tenth  of  the 
whole  population.  But  the  Master  had  determined 
to  call  his  faithful  servant  home;  he  was  ripe  for 
heaven,  he  had  kept  the  faith,  his  course  was 
finished,  and  his  crown  was  ready. 

Those  who  heard  his  last  sermon  will  never  forget 
it.  It  was  the  vision  of  the  dying  Stephen:  "But 
he  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  looked  up  stead- 
fastly into  heaven,  and  saw  the  glory  of  God,  and 
Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God."  As  he 
spoke  of  the  beatific  sight  which  burst  upon  the 
vision  of  the  dying  martyr,  he  seemed  himself  to 
catch  a  glimpse  of  the  glories  which  Stephen  saw; 
there  seemed  a  radiance  upon  his  countenance,  and 
a  prophetic  fire  burning  upon  his  lips.  God,  he 
said,  "had  not  seen  fit  to  reveal  to  us  a  material 


180  EARLY  HISTORY   OF   THE 

idea  of  heaven,  but  every  one  had  some  mental  con- 
ceptions of  it  and  its  inhabitants."  He  believed 
that  in  the  next,  as  in  this  world,  there  were  de- 
grees in  Christian  attainments,  and  that  in  the  land 
of  glory  some  would  occupy  higher  positions  than 
others;  that  sometimes  his  imagination  had  pic- 
tured heaven  as  a  vast  amphitheater,  whose  seats 
rose  tier  above  tier,  up  to  the  very  throne  itself; 
and  when,  from  the  lower  seats,  the  white-robed 
struck  the  exultant  song  of  redemption,  it  was 
caught  up  from  rank  to  rank,  growing  louder  and 
sweeter  as  it  rose,  while  in  unison  the  angel  choir 
struck  their  lyres,  and  from  every  golden  harp- 
string  of  saint,  angel,  cherubim  and  seraphim,  was 
poured  the  rapturous,  jubilant,  adoring  song,  and 
heaven  was  filled  with  an  atmosphere  of  melody. 

Who  shall  dare  to  say  that  God  in  that  hour  did 
not  permit  his  soul  to  catch  some  strain  of  that 
heavenly  music,  in  which  he  was  soon  to  join?  A 
day  or  two  after  he  was  laid  on  his  dying  bed,  his 
work  was  done,  and  God  took  him.  None  knew 
him  but  to  love  him.  As  an  effective  preacher  he 
had  but  few  equals.  He  had  that  moving,  winning 
power,  that  seized  at  once  the  conviction  and  the 
heart,  and  made  them  willing  captives;  and  that 
earnestness,  that  yearning  tenderness  was  his,  that 
made  his  hearers  feel  that  his  heart  would  break 
under  a  sense  of  their  danger,  if  they  refused  to 
come  to  Christ  and  be  saved.  His  hearers  felt  that 
he  was  truly  an  embassador  for  God,  in  Christ's 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  181 

stead.  It  is  said  that  he  was  converted  at  about 
thirteen  years  of  age,  that  he  did  not  then  know 
his  letters;  but  feeling  that  he  was  called  of  God  to 
carry  truths  to.  his  fellow-man,  he  commenced  to 
acquire  that  knowledge  which  he  deemed  so  indis- 
pensable to  his  great  mission.  He  was  two  years 
at  the  Illinois  College,  at  Jacksonville. 

In  the  September  previous  to  his  death  he  com- 
menced the  study  of  Hebrew,  conscious,  as  he  said, 
that  there  was  a  depth  of  meaning  and  beauty  in 
the  original,  especially  in  Isaiah  and  the  Psalms, 
which  the  translation  could  never  convey,  and  which 
he  longed  to  know  and  feel;  and,  notwithstanding 
he  held  meetings  every  evening,  and  many  times  in 
the  day,  from  December  to  April,  he  was  able  before 
his  death  to  read  'a  chapter  in  the  Hebrew  Bible 
with  only  occasional  reference  to  his  lexicon.  To- 
day he  sings  a  sweeter,  nobler  song,  in  heaven,  than 
David  ever  sang  on  earth.  May  it  be  our  unceasing 
efforts,  and  that  of  our  children,  to  follow  him  as  he 
followed  Christ  1 


182  EARLY  HISTORY  OF   THE 


CHAPTER  XX. 

AT  the  Conference  in  1839  Eev.  S.  Stocking  was 
appointed  to  this  Church.  The  difficulties  of  follow- 
ing such  a  man  as  his  predecessor  can  be  well  appre- 
ciated. Peace,  however,  prevailed,  and  there  were 
quite  a  number  of  conversions.  In  1840-41  Kev.  H. 
Crews  was  stationed  here.  Prosperity  and  conver- 
sions attended  both  years  of  his  administration.  The 
house  again  became  too  small,  and  was  enlarged  to 
nearly  double  its  former  capacity.  In  1842  Eev.  N. 
P.  Cunningham  was  transferred  from  the  Illinois 
Conference  and  appointed  preacner  in  charge.  He, 
too,  has  since  been  removed,  as  we  trust,  to  our 
Father's  kingdom  on  high.  He  was  an  earnest,  la- 
borious man,  and  as  a  doctrinal  preacher  had  few 
equals.  He  had  some  peculiarities  not  the  most 
pleasing,  but  was  sincere  and  zealous,  and  did 
much  good. 

The  house  was  again  becoming  too  small  for  the 
increasing  congregation,  and  it  was  resolved  to  colo- 
nize in  some  other  part  of  the  city  the  next  year. 
With  this  view,  in  1843,  Eev.  Luke  Hitchcock  was 
appointed  preacher  in  charge,  and  Eev.  Abram 
Hanson  assistant.  The  lot  on  which  Canal-Street 
Church  stood  was  purchased,  and  a  church  erected. 
During  the  Winter  the  health  of  brother  Hitchcock 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  183 

failed,  and  he  was  compelled  to  leave  his  charge. 
The  presiding  elder,  H.  Crews,  then  residing  at 
Southport,  removed  to  Chicago,  and,  with  brother 
Hanson,  supplied  the  two  congregations.  About 
seventy-five  members  went  to  Canal-Street,  but  it 
was  determined  that  the  two  societies  should  consti- 
tute but  one  charge,  and  the  leaders  and  stewards 
meet  in  one  board.  The  finances  were,  however, 
kept  separate,  each  society  paying  a  specific  amount, 
and  the  preachers  supplying  each  Church  alternately. 
At  the  Conference  of  1844,  under  the  same  ar- 
rangement, Eev.  William  M.  D.  Eyan  was  trans- 
ferred from  Ohio  and  made  preacher  in  charge,  and 
Eev.  Warren  Oliver  was  appointed  assistant.  Under 
this  arrangement  harmony  prevailed,  and  both  socie- 
ties were  blessed  with  prosperity.  During  the  fol- 
lowing Winter  a  very  general  revival  occurred,  and 
a  large  number  were  added  to  the  Church.  Clark- 
Street  became  crowded  beyond  the  convenient  capac- 
ity of  the  house.  It  had  been  enlarged  and  patched 
up  so  many  times  there  was  almost  danger  that  it 
might  fall  down.  Brother  Eyan  urged  the  necessity 
of  building  a  permanent  house  of  worship  of  suffi- 
cient capacity  to  accommodate  the  congregation,  and 
infusing  something  of  his  own  energy  into  the 
Church,  it  was  resolved  to  attempt  the  erection  of  a 
large  building.  It  was  undertaken  with  much  trem- 
bling, and  with  many  forebodings  of  the  result.  It 
is  due  to  him  to  say  that  few  men  possessed  the  en- 
ergy and  tact  which  could  have  inspired  the  Church 


184  EAELY  HISTORY   OF  THE 

with  the  requisite  spirit  and  liberality  to  carry  on 
the  enterprise  to  a  successful  termination. 

It  was  proposed  to  make  the  seats  free,  provided 
six  thousand  dollars  could  be  raised  to  be  paid  be- 
fore the  completion.  About  four  thousand  dollars, 
however,  was  all  that  could  be  obtained.  It  was 
clear  the  enterprise  must  be  abandoned,  or  some 
plan  devised  to  increase  the  subscriptions.  It-  was 
finally  resolved  to  sell  a  sufficient  number  of  seats 
to  cover  the  cost  of  the  house,  at  the  appraisal  of 
the  trustees — all  subscriptions  paid,  to  be  received 
in  payment.  Several  persons  offering  to  increase 
their  subscription,  and  others  who  had  refused  to 
subscribe  offering  to  give  liberally  under  this  ar- 
rangement, six  thousand  dollars  were  soon  raised, 
and  the  trustees  contracted  for  the  erection  of  the 
building  and  finishing  of  all  but  the  basement — 
this  amount  payable  on  the  completion  of  the  build- 
ing, and  the  balance  in  one  year.  The  house  was 
ninety-eight  feet  six  inches  by  sixty-six  feet.  The 
old  church  was  removed  to  the  lot  on  the  corner  of 
Dearborn  and  Madison  streets,  and  occupied  till  the 
erection  of  the  new  building. 

In  November,  1845,  the  house  was  dedicated. 
From  the  amount  raised  at  the  dedication,  the  sale 
of  the  seats,  and  other  means,  the  trustees  were 
able  to  meet  present  demands  on  the  contract,  and 
the  Church  felt  greatly  relieved.  Had  it  not  been 
the  first  large  house  of  worship  built  in  the  city, 
and  one  of  the  most  prosperous  business  years,  it  is 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  185 

feared  that  the  society  would  have  been  crushed  in 
the  undertaking.  But  a  gracious  Providence  favored 
us  on  every  hand.  A  necessity  for  the  basement 
and  cl#ss-rooms  was  now  felt;  and  although  all  had 
given  so  liberally,  yet  they  had  been  so  blessed  in 
what  they  had  done,  that  almost  with  one  accord 
they  declared  their  willingness  to  give  more.  In 
one  evening  the  funds  necessary  to  finish  the  base- 
ment were  raised;  and  though  it  was  Winter  the 
work  was  pushed  rapidly  to  completion.  The  first 
Sabbath  after  the  house  was  completed  wa^  a  day 
of  great  rejoicing;  when  with  gratitude  and  praise 
they  lifted  up  their  hearts  to  God  for  the  goodly 
heritage  he  had  given  them.  There  was  in  their 
case  a  literal  fulfillment  of  the  declaration  of  Holy 
Writ,  "  There  is  that  scattereth,  and  yet  increaseth." 
When  the  debt  was  paid,  it  is  believed  that  all  were 
pecuniarily  richer  than  when  it  was  contracted. 
Providence  seemed  to  have  been  well  pleased  with 
his  stewards,  and  richly  verified  his  promises  in 
them.  The  whole  cost  was  about  twelve  thousand 
dollars,  and  it  was  all  paid  as  it  became  due.  Dur- 
ing the  Winter  God  also  blessed  his  children  by  the 
conversion  of  a  number  of  souls,  and  adding  them 
to  his  Church. 

In  1845  Canal-Street  Church  was  separated  from 
us,  and  Bev.  Silas  Bolles  appointed  to  it;  brother 
Ryan  was  returned  to  Clark-Street.  At  the  Con- 
ference of  1846  Eev.  Chauncey  Hobart  was  trans- 
ferred from  the  Illinois  Conference,  and  stationed  at 

16 


186  EAELY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

Clark-Street,  and  Silas  Bolles  reappointed  to  Canal- 
Street.  Among  the  events  of  this  and  the  succeed- 
ing year  was  a  most  unhappy  controversy  with  Eev. 
James  Mitchell,  the  presiding  elder,  which  f  shook 
the  Church  nearly  to  disruption.  Circumstances 
transpired  which  satisfied  the  great  majority  of 
Clark-Street  Church,  that  the  well-being  of  Zion 
forbade  the  return  of  elder  Mitchell  to  this  district. 
At  the  session  of  the  Conference  of  1847  a  repre- 
sentation of  this  matter  was  made  to  the  Bishop  by 
nearly  all  of  the  official  board.  Some  of  the  breth- 
ren in  Clark- Street  Church,  and  also  in  Canal- Street 
as  well  as  at  other  points  on  the  district,  were  of  a 
different  opinion.  Such  action  was  taken  by  elder 
Mitchell  in  Conference  as  forced  those  opposed  to 
his  return  to  prefer  charges  against  him,  instead  of 
leaving  the  matter  in  the  hands  of  the  Bishop.  A 
part  of  the  charges  only  were  disposed  of  by  the 
Conference.  Elder  Mitchell  was  not  returned  to  the 
district,  but  was  ordered  to  be  reproved  in  open 
Conference  by  the  Bishop,  and  allowed  a  superan- 
nuated relation.  The  charges  undisposed  of  were 
determined  at  the  Conference  in  1848,  and  the 
occasion  of  the  trouble  went  out  from  among  us. 

Previous  to  the  Conference  of  1847  a  number  of 
members  determined  to  form  another  Church  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river.  They  purchased  two  lots 
on  Indiana-street,  built  a  neat  chapel,  and  solicited 
a  preacher  at  the  ensuing  Conference.  At  the  Con- 
ference of  1847  Eev.  Philip  Jackson  was  sent  to 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  187 

the  Clark-Street  Church.  His  prudence  and  steady 
firmness  did  much  to  preserve  the  integrity  of 
the  Church.  Eev.  0.  Bronson  was  stationed  at 
Canal-Street ;  but  his  health  failed  before  the  end  of 
the  year,  and  he  was  forced  to  retire  from  his  work. 
Bev.  Freeborn  Haney  was  appointed  to  Indiana- 
Street.  This  year  a  Church  on  Indiana-street  was 
commenced  for  the  German  brethren,  which  is  still 
in  a  flourishing  condition.  In  1848  Eev.  Eichard 
Haney  was  sent  to  Clark-Street,  Eev.  E.  A.  Blanch- 
ard  was  sent  to  Canal-Street,  and  Eev.  John  F. 
Devore  to  Indiana-Street. 

In  1849  the  two  former  were  reappointed  to  Clark 
and  Canal  Streets,  and  Eev.  Zadok  Hall  to  Indiana- 
Street.  During  this  year  earnest  prayer  was  made 
to  the  Most  High  that  he  would  water  his  thirsty 
Zion.  In  answer,  his  children  were  revived,  and  a 
goodly  number  were  converted.  Other  Churches 
shared  also  in  the  reviving  influence.  At  the  Con- 
ference of  1850  Eev.  S.  P.  Keys  was  sent  to  Clark- 
Street,  Eev.  W.  Palmer  to  Canal-Street,  and  Eev. 
Boyd  Low  to  Indiana-Street.  During  this  year, 
through  the  liberality  of  brother  Orrington  Lunt, 
an  opportunity  was  offered  of  obtaining  a  lot  on  the 
corner  of  State  and  Harrison  streets  for  another 
church.  A  Sunday  School  Union  was  also  formed 
among  various  Churches,  for  the  establishment  of 
Sunday  schools  and  the  extension  of  church-building, 
under  whose  supervision  a  small  chapel  was  built 
on  Clinton-street  for  Sunday  school  and  preaching 


188  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

purposes,  and  where  preaching  was  had  every  Sab- 
bath by  some  of  the  local  preachers.  A  building 
formerly  occupied  by  the  Presbyterians  was  pur- 
chased and  moved  on  to  the  State-street  lot,  fitted 
up  in  a  neat  and  convenient  manner,  and  a  Sunday 
school  organized. 

In  1851  Rev.  N.  P.  Heath  was  sent  as  a  mission- 
ary to  occupy  it  and  organize  a  society.  He  entered 
with  great  zeal  upon  his  work,  and  a  number  of 
members  united  there,  and  a  Church  was  organized 
under  the  most  flattering  prospects.  At  the  same 
Conference  brother  Keys  was  returned  to  Clark- 
Street,  Palmer  to  Canal-Street,  and  Eev.  J.  W. 
Agard  to  Indiana-Street.  In  January,  1852,  brother 
Palmer  took  his  departure  to  the  spirit-world.  He 
was  a  devoted  minister,  and  had  been  blessed  with 
great  success  in  winning  souls  to  Christ.  Eev.  J.  E. 
Wilson  was  appointed  by  the  presiding  elder  to  take 
charge  of  the  Canal-Street  Church  the  remainder  of 
the  year.  During  this  Winter  a  revival  occurred. 
Since  the  great  revival  of  1838-9  there  had  been 
none  which  gave  so  fair  promise  of  permanent  good. 
Its  subjects  were  mostly  young  men  and  women,  the 
children  of  pious  parents,  who  had  been  trained  and 
nurtured  in  the  lap  of  the  Church.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  these  and  such  as  these  will  fill  the 
places  that  we  shall  soon  leave  vacant.  God  help 
them  to  act  well  their  part. 

At  the  General  Conference  a  book  depository 
and  the  North- Western  Christian  Advocate  were 


WEST  AND   NOETH-WEST.  189 

authorized  to  be  established  in  the  city.  The  Depos- 
itory has  been  for  several  years  in  successful  opera- 
tion, and  will  no  doubt  be  the  means  of  a  general 
diffusion  of  our  Church  literature  throughout  the 
West.  The  Advocate  was  placed  under  the  charge 
of  Eev.  J.  V.  Watson,  who  proved  himself  an  able 
and  accomplished  editor  for  a  number  of  years.  The 
necessity  for  such  a  paper  had  long  been  felt,  and 
the  placing  of  brother  Watson  at  its  head  insured 
the  interest  of  a  large  circle  of  devoted  and  loving 
friends  to  the  cause.  He  was  one  of  the  great  lights 
of  the  Church;  but  he  has  long  since  gone  to  his 
rest,  and  we  can  not  forbear  paying  that  tribute  to 
his  memory  which  he  so  richly  deserved. 

At  our  last  Conference  in  1852  Kev.  John  Clark 
was  transferred  from  the  Troy  Conference  and  ap- 
pointed to  Clark-Street.  He  was  presiding  elder  on 
the  same  district  from  October,  1836,  to  October, 
1840;  and  in  1841  was  transferred  to  Texas,  and  in 
1844  from  Texas  to  Troy  Conference.  N.  P.  Heath 
was  returned  to  State-Street ;  J.  E.  Wilson  to  Canal- 
Street,  with  William  Kegan  as  his  assistant,  with 
which  Church  the  Owen-Street  charge  was  con- 
nected. Silas  Bolles  was  appointed  to  Indiana- 
Street,  and  Philip  Barth  to  the  Indiana-Street 
German  Church.  Another  German  Church  was 
organized  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  and  Eev. 
Augustus  Kellner  appointed  preacher  in  charge.  He 
procured  a  lot  on  the  corner  of  Van  Buren  and 
Griswold  streets,  where  another  church  was  built. 


190  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Great  efforts  were  made  to  secure  lots  and  estab- 
lish Churches  in  other  localities,  which  by  the  energy 
and  liberality  of  the  various  members  of  already 
formed  Churches,  have  since  been  rendered  success- 
ful. A  plan  was  formed  and  put  into  execution  for 
bringing  into  efficient  action  the  talents  of  local 
preachers.  A  circuit  was  formed,  embracing  Cross 
Point,  Clinton-Street  Chapel,  Hamilton's  School  - 
House,  the  Car  Factory  School-House,  Jackson's 
Ridge,  and  Cleaverville,  where  preaching  was  ex- 
pected at  least  once  on  every  Sabbath. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  191 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

IN  the  evening  of  the  7th  of  April,  1812,  the 
children  of  Mr.  Kinzie  were  dancing  before  the  fire 
to  the  music  of  their  father's  violin.  The  tea-table 
was  spread,  and  they  were  awaiting  the  return  of 
their  mother,  who  had  gone  to  visit  a  sick  neighbor. 
Suddenly  the  door  was  thrown  open,  and  Mrs.  Kinzie 
rushed  in,  pale  with  terror,  and  scarcely  able  to 
articulate.  It  was  with  difficulty  that  she  composed 
herself  sufficiently  to  give  the  necessary  information 
that  the  Indians  were  up  at  Lee's  place,  killing  and 
scalping  all  before  them,  and  that  while  she  was  at 
Burns's  a  man  and  boy  were  seen  running  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  with  all  speed,  and  called 
across  to  give  notice  to  Burns's  people  to  save  them- 
selves, for  the  Indians  were  already  at  Lee's  place, 
from  which  they  had  escaped.  Having  given  this 
terrible  news,  they  had  made  all  possible  speed  for 
the  fort,  which  was  on  the  same  side  of  the  river. 

All  was  now  consternation  and  dismay.  The  fam- 
ily were  hurried  into  two  old  pirogues  that  were 
moored  near  the  house,  and  hastened  across  the 
river,  to  take  refuge  in  the  fort.  The  man  and  boy, 
on  arriving  at  the  fort,  were  scarce  able  to  give  a 
coherent  account  of  the  scene  of  action;  but  in 


192  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

order  to  render  their  story  more  intelligible,  we  will 
describe  Lee's  place,  since  known  by  the  name  of 
Hardscrabble.  It  was  a  farm  intersected  by  the 
Chicago  River,  about  four  miles  from  its  mouth. 
The  farm-house  stood  on  the  western  bank  of  the 
south  branch  of  this  river.  On  the  same  side  of 
the  main  stream,  but  quite  near  its  junction  with 
Lake  Michigan,  stood  the  dwelling-house  and  trad- 
ing establishment  of  Mr.  Kinzie. 

The  fort  was  situated  on  the  southern  bank,  di- 
rectly opposite.  This  fort  was  differently  constructed 
from  the  one  erected  on  the  same  site  in  1816.  It 
had  two  block-houses  on  the  southern  side,  and  on 
the  northern  a  sally-port,  or  a  subterranean  passage 
from  the  parade-ground  to  the  river.  This  was  de- 
signed as  a  means  of  escape  in  case  of  danger,  or  that 
the  garrison  might  be  supplied  with  water  during  a 
siege.  The  officers  were  Capt.  Heald,  Lieut.  H.,  the 
son-in-law  of  Mr.  Kinzie,  and  Ensign  Konan — the 
two  last  very  young  men — the  Surgeon,  Dr.  Van 
Voorhies,  and  seventy-five  men,  very  few  of  whom 
were  effective. 

In  the  Spring  preceding  the  destruction  of  the 
fort,  two  Indians  of  the  Oalumet  band  came  to  the 
fort  on  a  visit  to  the  commanding  officer.  As  they 
passed  through  the  quarters,  they  saw  Mrs.  Heald 
and  another  lady,  wives  of  the  officers,  playing  at  bat- 
tledore. Turning  to  the  interpreter,  one  of  them, 
Nanmongee,  said :  "  The  white  chiefs'  wives  are 
amusing  themselves  very  much;  it  will  not  be  long 


WEST   AND   NOKTH-WEST.  193 

before  they  are  hoeing  in  our  cornfields."  This 
was  considered,  at  the  time,  an  idle  threat — a  mere 
ebullition  of  jealous  feeling  at  the  contrast  between 
the  situation  of  their"  own  women  and  those  of  the 
white  people. 

Some  months  afterward  how  bitterly  was  this 
remembered ! 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  day  on  which  this  narra- 
tive commences,  a  party  of  ten  or  twelve  Indians, 
dressed  and  painted,  arrived  at  the  house,  and,  ac- 
cording to  the  custom  among  savages,  entered  and 
seated  themselves  without  ceremony.  Something  in 
their  appearance  and  manner  excited  the  suspicion 
of  one  of  the  family,  a  Frenchman,  who  remarked: 
"I  do  not  like  their  appearance;  they  are  none  of 
our  folks ;  I  know  by  their  dress  and  paint,  they  are 
not  Pottawotamies."  Another  of  the  family,  a  dis- 
charged soldier,  then  said  to'  the  boy  who  was  pres- 
ent:  "If  that  is  the  case,  we  had  better  get  away 
from  here  if  we  can.  Say  nothing,  but  do  as  you 
see  me  do."  The  soldier  then  walked  leisurely 
toward  the  canoes,  which  were  tied  near  the  bank. 

An  Indian  asked  where  he  was  going.  He 
pointed  to  the  cattle  and  some  stacks  of  hay  which 
were  standing  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream, 
and  made  signs  that  he  must  go  and  fodder  the  cat- 
tle, and  afterward  they  would  return  and  get  their 
supper.  He  got  into  one  canoe  and  the  boy  into  the 
other,  and  they  were  soon  across.  They  pulled  some 

hay  for  the  cattle,  and  made  a  show  of  collecting 

17 


194  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

the  cattle  by  a  gradual  circuit,  till  their  movements 
were  concealed  by  the  hay-stacks,  and  then  ran  for 
the  woods,  which  were  close  at  hand.  They  had 
run  only  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  when  they  heard 
the  discharge  of  two  guns,  which  they  supposed  had 
been  leveled  at  those  they  had  left  behind.  They 
hastened  on  with  all  speed  till  they  arrived  opposite 
the  house  of  Mr.  Burns,  where,  as  before  stated, 
they  called  across  the  stream  to  warn  the  family  of 
their  danger.  When  these  two  arrived  at  the  fort 
some  of  the  soldiers  were  absent,  having  had  leave 
that  afternoon  to  go  out  on  a  fishing  excursion.  The 
commanding  officer  immediately  ordered  a  cannon  to 
be  fired,  that  they  might  be  warned  of  their  danger. 
The  soldiers  were  at  this  time  two  miles 'above  Lee's 
place.  Hearing  the  signal,  they  immediately  put 
out  their  torches,  for  it  was  now  dark,  and  dropped 
down  the  river  toward"  the  garrison  as  silently  as 
possible.  As  they  passed  Lee's  place  it  was  proposed 
that  they  should  go  in  and  tell  the  family  that  the 
signal  from  the  fort  meant  danger.  Every  thing 
was  still  as  death ;  they  groped  their  way  along,  and 
as  one  of  them  jumped  into  the  small  inclosure  that 
surrounded  the  house  he  placed  his  hand  on  the  dead 
body  of  a  man.  By  passing  his  hand  over  the  head 
he  ascertained  that  it  had  been  scalped. 

They  then  hastened  back  to  their  canoes,  and 
reached  the  fort  unmolested.  The  next  morning  it 
was  proposed  at  the  fort  that  a  body  of  men,  soldiers 
and  citizens,  should  go  to  Lee's  place  to  learn  the 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST,  195 

fate  of  its  occupants.  The  two  men  were  found  dead 
and  much  mutilated,  with  their  faithful  dogs  beside 
them.  Their  bodies  were  brought  to  the  fort  and 
buried.  The  inmates  at  the  fort  received  no  further 
alarm  for  several  weeks. 

It  was  on  the  afternoon  of  the  7th  of  August 
that  a  Pottawotamie  chief  arrived  at  the  fort,  bring- 
ing dispatches  from  General  Hull,  announcing  the 
declaration  of  war  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain,  that  General  Hull  was  at  the  head 
of  our  army  at  Detroit,  and  that  the  island  of  Mack- 
inaw had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  British.  Cap- 
tain Heald  was  ordered  to  evacuate  the  fort,  if 
practicable,  and  in  that  event  to  distribute  all  the. 
United  States  property  in  and  around  the  fort 
among  the  Indians  in  the  immediate  neighborhood. 

After  the  Indian  had  done  his  errand,  he  re- 
quested a  private  interview  with  Mr.  Kinzie,  who 
had  taken  up  his  residence  at  the  fort.  The  Indian 
wished  him  to  ascertain  if  it  was  Captain  Heald's 
purpose  to  leave  the  fort,'  and  strongly  advised 
against  any  such  measure,  proposing  that  they  re- 
main till  a  reenforcement  would  be  sent  to  their  as- 
sistance; and  at  the  same  time,  should  they  conclude 
to  go,  advising  the  best  route  and  offering-  what 
help  he  could.  Mr.  Kinzie  immediately  acquainted 
Capt.  Heald  with  the  Indian's  friendly  communica- 
tion, also  throwing  in  the  weight  of  his  own  advice 
to  remain  at  the  fort,  inasmuch  as  they  were  sup- 
plied with  provisions  and  ammunition  for  six  months. 


196  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

Ca,pt.  Heald  replied  that  he  should  obey  orders  and 
evacuate  the  fort;  but  since  he  must  divide  the 
United  States  property,  he  should  remain  there  till 
he  had  called  the  Indians  together  and  'made  an  equi- 
table division  among  them.  The  Indian  chief  then 
suggested  the  expediency  of  marching  out  and  leav- 
ing all  things  standing  as  they  were;  and  that 
possibly  while  the  Indians  were  engaged  in  the  divid- 
ing of  the  spoils,  the  troops  might  effect  their  retreat 
unmolested.  This  advice  was  strongly  seconded  by 
Mr.  Kinzie,  but  did  not  meet  the  approbation  of  the 
commanding  officer. 

However,  as  it  was  highly  improbable  that  the 
command  would  be  permitted  to  pass  through  the 
country  in  safety  to  Fort  Wayne;  and  their  march 
must  be  slow  to  accommodate  the  helplessness  of  the 
women  and  children — some  of  the  soldiers  being 
superannuated  and  others  invalid;  and  since  the 
order  was  left  discretionary,  it  was  the  unanimous 
advice  to  remain  where  they  were,,  and  fortify  them- 
selves as  best  they  could.  It  was  further  argued  that 
aid  might  arrive  from  the  other  side'of  the  peninsula 
before  they  could  be  attacked  by  the  British  from 
Mackinaw ;  and  even  should  it  not  come,  it  was  bet- 
ter to  fall  into  their  hands  than  to  become  victims 
to  the  savages.  Capt.  Heald  replied  that  a  special 
order  had  been  issued  by  the  War  Department  that 
no  post  should  be  surrendered  without  battle  hav- 
ing been  given ;  that  his  force  was  totally  inadequate 
to  an  engagement,  and  that  he  should  unquestionably 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  197 

be  censured  for  remaining,  when  there  appeared 
a  prospect  of  a  safe  march  through ;  upon  the  whole, 
he  deemed  it  expedient  to  assemble  the  Indians,  dis- 
tribute the  property  among  them,  and  ask  them 
for  an  escort  to  Fort  Wayne,  with  a  promise  of  a 
considerable  reward  upon  their  safe  arrival — adding 
that  he  had  full  confidence  in  the  friendly  professions 
of  the  Indians. 

From  this  time,  the  other  officers  held  themselves 
aloof,  and  spoke  but  little  upon  the  subject,  al- 
though they  considered  the  project  of  Capt.  Heald 
as  little  short  of  madness.  This  dissatisfaction 
among  the  soldiers  hourly  increased,  till  it  reached 
a  high  pitch  of  insubordination.  The  Indians  now 
became  daily  more  unruly,  entering  the  fort  in 
defiance  of  the  sentinels ;  making  their  way  with- 
out ceremony  into  the  officers'  quarters;  showing 
in  many  ways  open  defiance. 

Thus  passed  the  time  till  the  12th  of  August,  on 
the  afternoon  of  which  day,  the  Indians  having  as- 
sembled from  the  neighboring  villages,  a  council 
was  held.  Capt.  Heald*  only  attended;  his  officers 
declining  his  request  for  them  to  accompany  him,  as 
they  had  been  secretly  informed  that  it  was  the  in- 
tention of  the  young  chiefs  to  fall  upon  the  officers 
and  kill  them  while  in  council.  Capt.  Heald  could 
not  be  persuaded  that  this  was  true.  The  officers 
only  waited  till  he  in  company  with  Mr.  Kinzie  had 
left  the  garrison,  and  then  they  took  command  of 
the  block-house  which  overlooked  the  esplanade  on 


198  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

which  the  council  was  held.  They  opened  the  port- 
holes, and  pointed  the  cannon  so  as  to  command  the 
whole  assembly.  By  this  means  the  lives  of  the 
whites  in  council  were  probably  preserved. 

In  council  Capt.  Heald  told  the  Indians  that  the 
goods  at  the  factory,  and  also  the  provisions  and  am- 
munition, were  to  be  distributed  among  them  the 
next  day.  He  then  requested  an  escort  of  the  Pot- 
tawotamies  to  Fort  Wayne,  offering  them  liberal  re- 
wards when  they  arrived  there,  and  making  many 
professions  of  kindness  and  good-will  toward  them. 
The  savages  promised  all  he  required;  but  Mr.  Kin- 
zie,  who  understood  their  character  well,  still  ad- 
vised the  Captain  to  remain,  and  used  every  effort 
to  open  his  eyes  to  the  bad  state  of  feeling  that 
really  existed  among  the  Indians. 

He  reminded  him  that  since  the  troubles  with  the 
Indians  on  the  Wabash,  there  had  been  a  settled 
purpose  of  hostilities  toward  the  whites,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  it  had  been  the  policy  of  Americans 
to  withhold  all  fire-arms  and  ammunition,  or  what- 
ever would  enable  them  ta  carry  on  their  warfare 
upon  the  defenseless  inhabitants  on  the  frontier. 
Capt.  Heald  now  seemed  to  consider  that  he  was 
furnishing  the  enemy  with  arms  against  himself,  and 
determined  to  -destroy  all  the  ammunition  except 
what  should  be  necessary  for  the  use  of  his  own 
troops.  The  Indians  suspected  what  was  going  on, 
and  crept  stealthily  as  near  the  scene  of  action  as 
possible;  but  a  vigilant  watch  was  kept  up,  and  no 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  199 

one  was  suffered  to  approach  except  those  who  were 
engaged  in  the  affair.  On  the  14th  of  August  some 
relief  to  the  general  despondency  was  afforded  by  the 
arrival  of  Captain  "Wells  with  fifteen  friendly  Miamis. 
He  had  at  Fort  "Wayne  heard  of  the  order  for  evac- 
uating the  fort  at  Chicago,  and  knowing  the  hostile 
determination  of  the  Pottawotamies,  had  made  a 
rapid  march  across  the  country  to  prevent  the  ex- 
posure of  his  relative,  Captain  Heald,  and  his  troops 
to  certain  destruction.  But  he  came  too  late.  When 
he  reached  the  post  he  found  that  the  ammunition 
had  been  destroyed  and  the  provisions  given  to  the 
Indians.  Captain  Wells,  when  a  boy,  was  stolen  by 
the  Indians  from  the  family  of  Hon.  Nathaniel  Pope, 
in  Kentucky.  Although  recovered  by  them  some 
time  after,  he  preferred  to  return  and  live  among 
the  Indians.  He  married  a  Miami  woman,  and  be- 
came chief  of  that  nation.  He  was  the  father  of 
the  late  Mrs.  Judge  Wolcott,  Maumee,  Ohio. 


200  EAELY   HISTORY   OF  THE 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

EVERY  preparation  was  made  for  the  march  of 
the  troops  on  the  following  morning,  but,  notwith- 
standing the  precautions  that  had  been  taken  to 
preserve  secrecy,  the  noise  made  in  knocking  in  the 
heads  of  the  barrels  had  betrayed  their  operations. 
So  great  was  the  quantity  of  liquor  thrown  into  the 
river  that  the  taste  of  the  water  next  morning  was, 
as  one  expressed  it,  like  strong  grog.  Among  the 
chiefs,  although  they  shared  in  the  general  hostile 
feelings  of  the  tribe  toward  Americans,  there  re- 
mained a  strong  personal  regard  for  the  troops  at 
this  fort  and  a  few  white  citizens  of  the  place. 
These  chiefs  used  their  utmost  influence  to  allay 
the  revengeful'  feelings  of  the  young  men,  and  to 
avert  their  bloody  designs,  but  without  effect. 

On  the  evening  after  the  council  Black  Partridge, 
a  conspicuous  chief,  entered  the  quarters  of  the 
commanding  officer.  ''Father,"  said  he,  "I  come 
to  deliver  up  to  you  the  medal  I  wear.  It  was 
given  me  by  your  people.  I  have  long  worn  it  as  a 
token  of  our  mutual  friendship,  but  our  young  men 
are  resolved  to  imbrue  their  hands  in  the  blood  of 
the  whites.  I  can  not  restrain  them,  and  I  will  not 
wear  a  token  of  peace  while  I  am  compelled  to  act 
as  an  enemy."  Had  further  evidence  been  wanting, 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  201 

this  would  have  been  sufficient  to  have  warranted 
the  most  dismal  forebodings.  There  were  not  want- 
ing, however,  a  few  gallant  hearts  who  strove  to 
encourage  the  desponding  company.  There  had  been 
reserved  but  twenty-five  rounds  of  ammunition  and 
one  box  of .  cartridges,  which  must,  under  any  cir- 
cumstances of  danger,  have  proved  insufficient;  but 
the  prospect  of  a  fatiguing  march  forbade  the  troops 
embarrassing  themselves  with  a  larger  quantity. 

The  morning  of  the  14th  all  things  were  in  readi- 
ness. Nine  o'clock  was  the  hour  fixed  upon  for  start- 
ing. Mr.  Kinzie  had  volunteered  to  accompany  tfre 
troops  in  their  march,  and  had  intrusted  his  family 
to  the  care  of  some  friendly  Indians,  who  had  prom- 
ised to  convey  them  in  a  boat  around  the  head  of 
Lake  Michigan  to  a  point  in  St.  Joseph's  River,  there 
to  be  joined  by  the  troops,  should  the  prosecution  of 
their  march  be  permitted.  Early  in  the  morning, 
Mr.  Kinzie  had  received  a  message  from  To-pee-mee- 
bee,  a  chief  of  the  St.  Joseph's  band,  informing  him 
that  mischief  was  intended  by  the  Pottawotamies, 
who  had  engaged  to  escort  the  detachment,  urging 
him  to  relinquish  his  design  of  accompanying  the 
troops  by  land,  and  also'  promising  him  that  the  boat 
containing  himself  and  family  should  be  permitted  to 
pass  in  safety  to  St.  Joseph.  Mr.  Kinzie  declined, 
as  he  believed  his  presence  might  act  as  a  restraint 
upon  the  fury  of  the  savages,  so  warmly  were  they 
attached  to  him  and  his  family.  The  party  in  the 
boat  consisted  of  Mrs.  Kinzie  and  her  four  younger 


202  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

children,  the  nurse,  a  clerk  of  Mr.  Kinzie's,  two 
servants,  and  the  boatmen,  besides  two  Indians  who 
acted  as  their  protectors.  The  boat  started,  but 
scarce  had  they  reached  the  mouth  of  the  river,  a 
half  mile  below  the  fort,  when  another  messenger  ar- 
rived from  To-pee-mee-bee  to  detain  them  where  they 
were.  In  breathless  expectation  sat  the  wife  and 
mother.  She  was  a  woman  of  uncommon  energy  and 
strength  of  character,  yet  her  heart  died  within  her 
as  she  folded  her  arms  around  .her  helpless  infants, 
and  gazed  upon  the  march  of  her  husband  and  child 
ft)  certain  death. 

As  the  troops  left  the  fort,  the  band  struck  up  the 
dead  march.  On  they  came  in  military  style,  but 
with  solemn  mien.  Capt.  "Wells  took  the  lead  at  the 
head  of  his  little  band  of  Miamis.  He  had  black- 
ened his  face  before  leaving  the  garrison,  in  token  of  - 
his  impending  fate.  They  took  the  road  along  the 
Lake  shore,  and  when  they  reached  the  point  where 
commences  the  range  of  sand  hills  intervening  be- 
tween the  prairie  and  the  beach,  the  escort  of  the 
Pottawotamies,  a  number  of  about  five  hundred,  kept 
the  level  of  the  prairie  instead  of  continuing  along 
the  beach  with  the  troops  and  Miamis.  The  troops 
had  marched  perhaps  a  mile  and  a  half,  when  Capt. 
Wells,  who  had  kept  somewhat  in  advance  with  his 
band,  came  riding  furiously  back,  shouting :  "  They 
are  about  to  attack  us;  form  instantly  and  charge 
upon  them!"  Scarcely  were  the  words  uttered,  when 
a  volley  was  showered  from  among  the  sand  hills. 


WEST  AND   NOKTH-WEST.  203 

The  troops  were  hastily  brought  into  line,  and 
charged  up  the  bank.  One  man,  a  veteran  of  sev- 
enty Winters,  fell  as  they  ascended. 

The  remainder  of  the  scene  is  best  described  by 
an  eye-witness,  and  a  participator  in  the  tragedy — 
the  wife  of  Lieut.  Helm.  She  says :  "  After  we  had 
left  the  bank,  the  firing  became  general ;  the  Miamis 
fled  at  the  outset.  Their  chief  rode  up  to  the  Pot- 
tawotamies,  and  said,  'You  have  deceived  the  troops 
and  us;  you  have  done  a  bad  action;'  and,  brand- 
ishing his  tomahawk,  continued,  'I  will  be  the  first 
to  return  and  punish  your  treachery.'  He  then  gal- 
loped after  his  companions,  who  were  now  scouring 
across  the  prairie.  The  troops  behaved  most  gal- 
lantly.  They  were  but  a  handful ;  but  they  resolved 
to  sell  their  lives  most  dearly.  Our  horses  pranced 
and  bounded,  and  could  hardly  be  restrained  as  the 
balls  whistled  among  them.  I  drew  off  a  little  and 
gazed  upon  my  husband  and  father,  who  were  ye£ 
unharmed.  I  felt  that  my  hour  had  come,  and  en- 
deavored to  forget  those  I  loved,  and  prepared  my- 
self for  my  approaching  fate. 

"  While  I  was  thus  engaged,  the  surgeon,  Dr.  Van 
Voorhees,  came  up.  His  horse  had  been  shot  under 
him,  and  he  had  received  a  ball  in  his  leg.  Every 
muscle  of  his  face  was  quivering  with  the  agony  of 
terror.  He  said  to  me,  'Do  you  think  they  will 
take  our  lives?  I  am  badly  wounded,  but  not  mor- 
tally; perhaps  we  might  purchase  our  lives  by 
promising  them  a  large  reward.  Do  you  think 


204  EARLY  HISTORY   OF   THE 

there  is  any  chance?'  'Dr.  Van  Voorhees,'  said  I, 
'  do  not  let  us  waste  the  moments  that  yet  remain 
to  us  in  such  vain  hopes.  Our  fate  is  inevitable; 
in  a  few  moments  we  must  appear  before  the  bar  of 
God.  Let  us  make  what  preparations  are  in  our 
power.'  '  0,  I  can  not  die/  exclaimed  he,  '  I  am  not 
fit  to  die.  If  I  had  only  a  short  time  to  prepare! 
Death  is  awful!'  I  pointed  to  Ensign  Konan,  who, 
though  mortally  wounded  and  nearly  down,  was 
still  fighting  with  desperation  on  one  knee.  'Look 
at  that  man,'  said  I ;  '  at  least  he  dies  like  a  soldier.' 
'Yes,'  replied  the  unfortunate  man,  with  a  convul- 
sive gasp;  'but  he  has  no  terrors  of  the  future. 
He  does  not  believe  there  is  one.'  At  this  moment 
a  young  Indian  raised  his  tomahawk  at  me;  by 
springing  aside  I  avoided  the  blow,  which  was  in- 
tended for  my  skull,  but  which  alighted  on  my- 
shoulder.  I  seized  him  around  the  neck ;  and,  while 
exerting  my  utmost  efforts  to  get  possession  of  his 
scalping-knife,  which  hung  in  a  scabbard  over  his 
breast,  I  was  dragged  from  his  grasp  by  another 
and  an  older  Indian.  The  latter  bore  me  strug- 
gling and  resisting  toward  the  lake. 

"  Notwithstanding  the  rapidity  with  which  I  was 
hurried  along,  I  recognized  as  I  passed  the  lifeless 
remains  of  the  surgeon.  Some  murderous  toma- 
hawk had  stretched  him  upon  the  very  spot  where  I 
had  last  seen  him.  I  was  immediately  plunged  into 
the  water  and  held  there.  As  I  resisted,  however, 
I  soon  perceived  that  the  object  of  my  captor  was 


WEST.  AND   NORTH-WEST.  205 

not  to  drown  me,  for  he  held  me  firmly  in  such  a 
position  as  to  keep  my  head  above  the  water.  This 
reassured  me;  and,  looking  at  him  closely,  I  soon 
recognized,  in  spite  of  the  paint  by  which  he  was 
disguised,  the  Black  Partridge.  When  the  firing 
had  nearly  subsided,  my  preserver  took  me  from  the 
water,  and  led  me  up  the  sand- bank.  It  was  a 
burning  August  morning,  and  walking  through  the 
sand,  in  my  drenched  condition,  was  inexpressibly 
painful  and  fatiguing.  I  stooped  and  took  off  my 
shoes  to  clear  them  from  the  sand,  when  a  squaw 
seized  and  carried  them  off.  I  was  placed  upon  a 
horse  without  any  saddle;  but  finding  the  motion 
unendurable,  I  sprang  off. 

"Partly  supported  by  my  kind  conductor,  Black 
Partridge,  and  partly  by  another  Indian,  who  held 
dangling  in  his  hand  a  scalp  which  I  recognized  as 
that  of  Captain  Wells,  I  dragged  my  panting  steps 
to  one  of  the  wigwams.  The  wife  of  Waw-bee-mee- 
mah  was  standing  near,  and  seeing  my  fainting  con- 
dition, she  seized  a  kettle,  dipped  up  some  water 
from  a  stream  that  flowed  near,  threw  in  some 
maple  sugar,  and  stirring  it  with  her  hand,  gave  me 
to  drink.  This  act  o£  kindness,  in  the  midst  of  so 
many  horrors,  touched  me  most  sensibly;  but  my 
attention  was  soon  diverted  to  other  objects.  This 
work  of  butchery  had  commenced  just  as  we  were 
leaving  the  fort.  I  can  not  describe  the  horrible 
scene  which  ensued  as  the  wounded  and  dying  were 
dragged  into  camp.  An  old  squaw,  infuriated  by 


206  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

the  loss  of  friends,  or  excited  by  the  bloody  scenes 
around  her,  seemed  possessed  with  a  demoniac  fury. 
She  seized  a  stable  fork,  and  assaulted  one  miserable 
victim  who  lay  groaning  and  writhing  in  the  agony 
of  his  wounds. 

"  With  a  delicacy  of  feeling  scarcely  to  be  expected, 
Waw-bee-mee-mah  stretched  a  mat  across  two  poles 
between  me  and  this  dreadful  scene,  although  I 
could  still  hear  the  groans  of  the  sufferers.  On  the 
following  night  five  more  wounded  prisoners  were 
tomahawked.  Those  of  the  troops  who  had  escaped 
surrendered,  after  a  loss  of  about  two-thirds  of  the 
party.  They  had  stipulated,  by  means  of  an  inter- 
preter, for  the  lives  of  those  remaining  and  those 
who  remained  of  the  women  and  children,  but  the 
wounded  were  not  included.  They  were  to  be  deliv- 
ered at  some  of  the  British  ports,  unless  ransomed 
by  traders.  The  Americans,  after  their  first  attack, 
charged  upon  those'  who  were  concealed  in  a  sort  of 
ravine  intervening  between  the  sand-banks  and  the 
prairie.  The  Indians  gathered  themselves  into  a 
body,  and  after  some  hard  fighting,  in  which  the 
number  of  whites  had  been  reduced  to  twenty-eight, 
this  small  band  succeeded  in  .breaking  through  the 
enemy  and  gaining  a  rising  ground  not  far  from  the 
oak  woods." 

The  contest  now  seemed  hopeless,  and  Lieutenant 
Helm  sent  Perest  Leclerc,  a  half-breed  boy  in  the 
service  of  Mr.  Kinzie,  who  had  accompanied  the 
detachment  and  fought  manfully,  as  interpreter,  to 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  207 

propose  terms  of  capitulation.  It  was  stipulated 
that  the  lives  of  all  the  survivors  should  be  spared, 
and  a  ransom  permitted  as  soon  as  practicable.  But 
in  the  mean  time  a  horrible  scene  had  been  enacted. 
A  young  savage  had  climbed,  into  the  baggage- 
wagon  containing  the  children  of  the  whites,  twelve 
in  number,  and  tomahawked  the  entire  group. 
When  Captain  Wells  saw  this  he  exclaimed,  "Is 
that  their  game?  Then  I  will  kill,  too."  So  say- 
ing, he  turned  his  horse's  head  and  started  for  the 
Indian  camp.  Several  Indians  pursued  him,  and  as 
he  galloped  along  he  laid  himself  flat  on  his  horse 
to  escape  their  shots.  They  took  effect,  however,  at 
last,  killing  his  horse  and  severely  wounding  him. 
At  that  moment  he  was  met  by  a  friendly  Indian, 
who  tried  to  save  him  from  the  savages,  who  had 
now  overtaken  him.  As  he  was  being  supported  by 
his  friend,  he  received  his  death-blow  from  a  savage 
who  stabbed  him  in  the  back.  Those  of  the  family 
of  Mr.  Kinzie  who  had  remained  in  the  boat  near 
the  mouth  of  the  river  were  carefully  guarded  by 
the  Indians.  They  had  seen  the  smoke  and  the 
blaze,  and  immediately  after  the  report  of  the  first 
tremendous  discharge. 

Some  time  afterward  they  saw  an  Indian  coming 
toward  them,  leading  a  horse  on  which  sat  Mrs. 
Heald.  "Kun,"  cried  Mrs.  Kinzie;  "that  Indian 
will  kill  her.  Run ;  take  the  mule,  which  is  tied  to 
a  tree,  and  offer  it  to  her  captor  as  a  ransom  for  her 
life."  The  Indian  was  by  this  time  in  the  act  of 


208  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

removing  ner  bonnet,  that  he  might  scalp  her.  The 
servant  ran  up  with  the  mule,  and  by  that,  and  the 
offer  of  ten  bottles  of  whisky,  effected  her  release. 
"But,"  said  the  Indian,  "she  is  wounded;  she  will 
die;  will  you  then  give  me  the  whisky."  It  was 
promised  him.  The  savage  then  took  Mrs.  Heald's 
bonnet,  placing  it  on  his  own  head,  and,  after  an  in- 
effectual attempt  on  the  part  of  some  squaws  to  rob 
her  of  her  stockings,  she  was  brought  on  board  the 
boat,  suffering  great  agony  from  the  many  bullet- 
wounds  she  had  received.  The  boat  was  at  length 
permitted  to  return  to  Mr.  Kinzie's  home,  where 
Mrs.  Heald  was  properly  cared  for.  Mr.  Kinzie 
soon  after  returned.  The  family  were  closely  guarded 
by  their  Indian  friends,  whose  intention  it  was  to 
carry  them  to  Detroit  for  security.  The  rest,  of  the 
prisoners  remained  at  the  wigwams  of  their  captors.' 
The  next  morning,  after  plundering  the  fort,  the 
Indians  set  fire  to  it.  •  Black  Partridge,  with  several 
others  of  his  tribe,  established  themselves  in  the 
porch  of  the  building  as  sentinels,  to  protect  the 
family.  Soon  after  the  fire  a  party  of  Wabash  In- 
dians made  their  appearance.  They  were  the  most 
hostile  of  all  the  tribes  of  the  Pottawotamies.  Be- 
ing more  remote,  they  had  shared  less  in  the  kind- 
ness of  Mr.  Kinzie  and  his  family.  On  arriving  at 
Chicago  they  had  blackened  their  faces,  and  they 
now  proceeded  toward  the  dwelling  of  Mr.  Kinzie. 
Prom  his  station  on  the  piazza  Black  Partridge  had 
watched  their  approach.  His  fears  were  for  the 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  209 

safety  of  Mrs.  Helm,  Mr.  Kinzie's  step- daughter. 
By  his  advice  she  was  made  to  assume  the  dress  of 
a  French  woman  of  the  country;  namely,  a  short 
gown  and  petticoat,  with  a  blue  cotton  handkerchief 
wrapped  around  her  head.  In  this  disguise  she  was 
conducted  by  Black  Partridge  to  the  house  of  Ouil- 
mette,  a  Frenchman,  with  a  half-breed  wife,  who 
formed  a  part  of  the  establishment  of  Mr.  Kinzie, 
and  whose  house  was  close  at  hand.  It  happened 
that  the  Indians  came  first  to  this  house  in  their 
search  for  prisoners. 

As  they  approached,  the  inmates,  fearful  that  the 
fair  complexion  of  Mrs.  Helm  might  betray  her, 
raised  a  large  feather-bed,  and  placed  her  under  the 
edge  of  it  upon  the  bedstead,  with  her  face  to  the 
wall.  Mrs.  Bisson,  the  sister  of  Ouilmette's  wife, 
then  seated  herself  with  her  sewing  on  the  foreside 
of  the  bed.  It  was  a  hot  day  in  August,  and  the 
feverish  excitement  of  fear,  together  with  her  posi- 
tion and  wounds,  became  so  intolerable  that  Mrs. 
Helm  begged  to  be  released  and  given  up  to  the 
Indians.  "  I  can  but  die,"  said  she;  "  let  them  put  an 
end  to  my  misery  at  once."  Mrs.  Bisson  replied, 
"  Your  death  would  be  the  destruction  of  us  all. 
Black  Partridge  has  resolved  that  if  one  drop  of  the 
blood  of  your  family  is  spilled,  he  will  take  the  lives 
of  all  concerned  in  it,  even  his  nearest  friends;  and 
if  the  work  of  slaughter  once  commences,  there  will 
be  no  end  to  it,  so  long  as  there  remains  one  white 

person  or  half-breed  in  the  country."     This  nerved 

18 


210  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

Mrs.  Helm  with  fresh  resolution.  The  Indians  en- 
tered, and  she  could  occasionally  see  them  from  her 
hiding-place  gliding  about  and  inspecting  every  part 
of  the  house,  till,  apparently  satisfied  that  there  was 
no  one  concealed,  they  left. 

All  this  time  Mrs.  Bisson  had  kept  her  seat  on 
the  side  of  the  bed,  calmly  sorting  and  arranging 
the  patchwork  of  a  quilt,  and  preserving  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  utmost  tranquillity,  although  she 
knew  not  but  at  any  moment  the  tomahawk  might 
aim  a  fatal  blow  at  herself.  Her  self-command  un- 
questionably saved  the  lives  of  all  present.  From 
Ouilmette's  the  party  of  Indians  proceeded  to  Mr. 
Kinzie's.  They  entered  the  parlor,  in  which  the 
family  were  assembled  with  their  faithful  protector, 
and  seated  themselves  in  silence.  Black  Partridge 
perceived  from  their  moody  and  revengeful  looks 
what  was  passing  in  their  minds;  but  he  dared  not 
remonstrate  with  them,  but  observed  in  a  low  tone 
to  one  of  the  friendly  Indians,  "We  have  endeav- 
ored to  save  your  friends,  but  it  is  in  vain ;  nothing 
will  save  them  now." 

At  this  moment  a  friendly  whoop  was  heard  from 
a  party  of  new-comers  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river.  Black  Partridge  sprang  to  meet  them  as  their 
canoes  touched  the  bank  near  the  house.  "  Who  are 
you?"  demanded  he.  "A  man."  "Who  are  yoii?" 
"A  man  like  yourself."  "But  tell  me  who  you 
are?" — meaning,  tell  me  your  disposition,  and  which 
side  you  are  for.  "I  am  the  San-ga-nash,"  replied 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  211 

the  stranger.  "Then  make  all  possible  speed  into 
the  house;  your  friend  is  in  danger,  and  you  alone 
can  save  him."  Billy  Caldwell — for  it  was  he — a 
man  well  known  to  the  tribes  for  his  never-failing 
help  to  them  in  their  need — then  entered  the  parlor 
with  a  calm  step,  and  without  a  trace  of  agitation  in 
his  manner.  He  deliberately  took  off  his  accouter- 
ments,  placed  them  with  his  rifle  behind  the  door, 
and  then  saluted  the  hostile  savages :  "  How  now, 
my  friends?  a  good  day  to  you.  I  was  told  there 
were  enemies  here;  but  I  am  glad  to  find  only 
friends.  Why  have  you  blackened  your  faces?  Is 
it  that  you  are  mourning  your  friends  lost  in  bat- 
tle?" purposely  misunderstanding  this  token  of  evil 
design,  "or  is  it  that  you  are  fasting?  If  so,  ask 
our  friend  here,  and  he  will  give  you  to  eat;  he 
is  the  Indians'  friend,  and  never  yet  refused  what 
they  had  need  of." 

Thus  taken  by  surprise,  the  savages  were  ashamed 
to  acknowledge  their  bloody  purpose.  They  there- 
fore said,  modestly,  that  they  came  to  beg  white 
cotton  of  their  friends,  in  which  to  wrap  their  dead. 
This  was  given  them  with  some  other  presents,  and 
they  took  their  departure  peaceably.  On  the  third 
day  after  the  battle,  the  family  of  Mr.  Kinzie,  with 
the  clerks  of  the  establishment,  were  put  into  a  boat 
under  the  care  of  a  half-breed  interpreter,  and  con- 
veyed to  St.  Joseph's,  where  they  remained  till  the 
following  November  under  the  protection  of  To-pee- 
mee-bee's  band.  They  were  then  conducted  to  De- 


212  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  THE 

troit,  under  the  escort  of  two  of  their  trusty  Indian 
friends,  and  delivered  up  as  prisoners  of  war  to  Col. 
M'Kee,  the  British  Indian  Agent. 


WEST  AND  NOBTH-WEST.  213 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

WHENEVER  the  Indian  came  among  us,  my  ideas 
of  what  should  be  due  unto  woman,  and  my  sense 
of  the  elevation  to  which  Christianity  assigns  her, 
was  often  greatly  shocked  by  the  inhuman  manner 
in  which  the  Indian  treats  his  squaw.  She  is  little 
better  than  a  beast  of  burden.  It  is  no*  uncommon 
sight  to  see  the  woman  laden  with  mats  and  the 
poles,  with  which  the  lodge  is  built,  upon  her  shoul- 
ders ;  her  papoose,  if  she  has  any  ;  her  kettles,  sacks 
of  corn,  wild  rice;  and  not  unfrequently  the  house- 
hold dog  perched  upon  the  top  of  all.  If  there  is  a 
horse  or  pony  among  the  list  of  domestic  possessions, 
the  man  rides,  while  the  squaw  trudges  along  with 
her  heavy  burdens  on  foot.  It  is  the  instinct  of 
the  sex  to  keep  up  the  idea  of  their  supposed  su- 
periority, by  asserting  it  on  every  and  even  the 
slightest  occasion.  But,  for  the  sake  of  humanity, 
we  must  say  of  the  Indian,  that  whenever  he  is  out 
of  sight  of  others,  and  there  is  no  danger  of  com- 
promising his  own  dignity,  the  husband  is  willing 
enough  to  relieve  his  wife  of  some  of  the  heavy 
burdens  which  custom  imposes  on  her,  by  sharing 
her  labors  and  hardships. 

I  think  the  picture  is  not  altogether  an  unknown 


214:  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

one,  in  some  domestic  arrangements  of  civilized  life. 
Even  in  their. dances,  the  squaws,  who  stand  a  little 
apart  and  mingle  their  discordant  voices  with  the 
music  of  the  instruments,  rarely  participate  in  the 
dance.  Occasionally,  however,  when  excited  by  the 
general  gayety,  a  few  of  them  will  form  a  circle  out- 
side, and  perform  a  sort  of  ungraceful  up-and-down 
movement,  which  has  no  merit  save  the  perfect  time 
that  is  kept,  and  for  which  the  Indians  without  ex- 
ception seem  to.  possess  a  natural  gift.  The  rhythm 
of  nature  to  which  their  ears  are  constantly  inclined, 
has  the  effect  of  introducing  at  least  one  element  of 
order  in  these  barbaric  souls.  0,  how  much  civili- 
zation owes  to  the  influence  of  the  Bible !  how  it 
has  exalted  man,  and  woman  along  with  him !  What 
heart  can  ever  express  becoming  gratitude  to  God 
for  his  inestimable  gift  of  the  Bible!  In  the  Chris- 
tian rites,  in  the  soul's  salvation,  woman  is  raised  to 
a  level  with  man ;  and  in  and  through  these  has 
she  now  her  exalted  position  over  that  of  her  sisters 
of  the  primeval  forest. 

I  have  frequently  been  asked  the  cause  of  the 
Sauk  war,  and  have  been  able  to  answer  only  from 
the  impressions  I  received  and  my  own  observations, 
or  information  furnished  at  that  time.  I  think  it 
but  justice  to  Black  Hawk  and  his  party  to  insert 
the  following  account,  preserved  among  the  manu- 
scripts of  the  late  Thomas  Forsythe,  Esq.,  of  St. 
Louis,  who,  after  residing  among  the  Indians  many 
years  as  a  trader,  was,  till  the  year  1830,  the  agent 


-  WEST   AND   NOETH-WEST.  215 

of  the  Sauks  and  Foxes.  The  manuscript  was  writ- 
ten in  1832,  while  Black  Hawk  and  his  compatriots 
were  in  prison  at  Jefferson  Barracks.  It  is  an  ex- 
tract from  the  "Life  of  Mrs.  J.  H.  Kinzie:" 

"The  United  States  troops  arrived  "at  St.  Louis 
and  took  possession  of  this  country  in  the  month 
of  February,  1804.  In  the  Spring  of  that  year 
a  white  person  was  murdered  in  one  of  the  settle- 
•ments  by  a  Sauk  Indian.  Some  time  in  the  Summer 
following  the  State  troops  were  sent  up  to  the  Sauk 
village,  on  Eock  River,  and  a  demand  was  made  of 
the  Sauk  chief  for  the  murderer.  The  chief  deliv- 
ered him  up  without  hesitation  to  the  commander 
of  the  troops,  who  brought  him  down  and  handed 
him  over  to  the  civil  authorities  at  St.  Louis. 

"During  the  ensuing  Autumn  some  Sauk  and  Fox 
Indians  came  to  St.  Louis  and  had  a  consultation 
with  General  Harrison,  Governor  of  Indiana  Terri- 
tory, on -the  liberation  of  their  relative,  the  mur- 
derer, then  in  prison.  Quash  Quam,  a  Sauk  chief, 
who  was  the  head  man  of  the  party,  repeatedly  said 
that  'Mr.  Pierre  Chowteau,  sen.,  came  several  times 
to  my  camp  and  told  me  that  Governor  Harrison 
"would  liberate  my  relative,  the  murderer,  if  I  would 
sell  the  lands  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi 
Eiver.  At  last  I  agreed  to  sell  the  land  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Illinois  Eiver  as  high  up  as  Eocky 
Rives* — now  Eock  Eiver — and  east  of  the  ridge  that 
divides  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  and  Illinois 
Eivers.  This  was  all  the  land  that  I  sold  him  on 


216  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

those  conditions.'  Quash  Quam  also  told  the  same 
story  to  Governor  Edwards,  Governor  Clark,  and 
Mr.  Auguste  Chowteau,  commissioners  appointed  to 
treat  with  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  Illinois  Kiver,  in 
the  Summer  of  1816,  for  lands  on  the  west  side  of 
this  river.  Quash  Quam  said:  'You  white  men 
may  put  what  you  please  on  paper,  but  I  tell  you 
again  that  I  never  sold  any  lands  higher  up  the 
Mississippi  Eiver  than  the  mouth  of  Eocky  River.'" 
"In  the  treaty  first  mentioned  the  line  commences 
opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Gasconade  Eiver,  and 
runs  to  the  head- waters  of  Jefferson  Eiver,*  and 
thence  down  to  the  Mississippi;  from  thence  up  the 
Mississippi  Eiver  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ouisconsin 
Eiver,  and  up  this  river  thirty-six  miles;  from  this 
point  in  a  direct  line  to  a  little  lake  in  Fox  Eiver 
of  the  Illinois;  down  Fox  Eiver  to  Illinois  Eiver, 
and  down  this  latter  to  its  mouth;  from  that  point 
down  the  Mississippi  to  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri, 
and  from  thence  to  the  place  of  beginning. f  The 
Foxes  and  Sauks  were  never  consulted,  nor  had  any 
knowledge  of  this  treaty — that  is,  the  tribes  at 
large.  It  was  made  and  signed  by  two  Sauk  chiefs, 
one  Fox  chief,  and  one  warrior.  The  annuity  to  be 
paid  in  accordance  with  treaty  was  $1,000.  This 
payment  was  always  made  in  goods  sent  from. 
Georgetown,  D.  C.  They  were  poor  articles  of 
merchandise,  not  at  all  suitable  for  the  Indians, 

*  There  is  no  such  stream  as  Jefferson  River. 

t  See  treaty  dated  at  St.  Louis,  November  4,  1804. 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  217 

and  very  often  damaged.  The  Indians  received 
these  goods,  supposing  they  were  presents  made  by 
the  Government,  and  not  payments  upon  land,  till 
I,  as  their  agent,  convinced  them  to  the  contrary. 

"In  the  Summer  of  1818,  when  the  Indians  heard 
that  the  goods  delivered  to  them  were  annuities  for 
land  sold  by  them  to  the  United  States,  they  were 
astonished,  and  refused  to  accept  the  goods,  denying 
that  they  had  ever  sold  lands  as  stated  by  me,  their 
agent.  Black  Hawk  in  particular,  who  was  present 
at  this  time,  made  a  great  noise  about  this  land,  and 
would  never  receive  any  part  of  the  annuities  from 
that  time  forward.  He  denied  the  authority  of  Quash 
Quam  to  sell  any  part  of  the  land,  and  forbade  the 
Indians  receiving  any  part  of  the  annuities  from  any 
American,  otherwise  their  lands  would  be  claimed 
at  some  future  day.  As  the  United  States  do  insist 
on  retaining  lands  according  to  the  treaty  of  No- 
vember 4,  1804,  why  do  they  not  fulfill  their  part  of 
that  treaty  with  the  Indians  as  equity  demands? 
The  Sauk  and  Fox  Indians  are,  according  to  that 
treaty,  allowed  to  live  and  hunt  on  the  lands  as  long 
as  the  aforesaid  lands  belong  to  the  United  States. 
In  the  Spring  of  1827,  about  twelve  or  fifteen  fam- 
ilies of  squatters  arrived  and  took  possession  of  the 
Sauk  village,  near  the  mouth  of  Rocky  River.  They 
immediately  commenced  destroying  the  bark  boats 
belonging  to  the  Indians ;  and  when  the  Indians  made 
complaint  at  the  village  of  the  destruction  of  their 

property,  they  were  abused  by  the  squatters. 

19 


218  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

"  When  they  made  complaint  to  me  as  their  agent, 
I  wrote  to  Gen.  Clark,  Superintendent  of  Indian  Af- 
fairs, at  St.  Louis,  stating  to  him,  from  time  to  time, 
what  had  happened,  and  giving  a  minute  detail  of 
every  thing  that  passed  between  the  squatters  and 
the  Indians.  The  squatters  insisted  that  the  Indians 
should  be  removed  from. their  village,  saying  that  as 
soon  as  the  land  was  brought  into  market  they  would 
buy  it  all.  It  was  useless  for  me  to  show  them  the 
treaty  and  urge  upon  them  the  right  that  the  Indians 
had  to  remain  upon  their  land.  They  tried  every 
method  to  annoy  the  Indians,  by  shooting  their  dogs, 
claiming  their  horses  when  they  break  into  their 
poorly  protected  cornfields,  selling  them  whisky 
contrary  to  the  wishes  and  oft-expressed  requests  of 
their  chiefs,  particularly  of  Black  Hawk,  who  both 
solicited  and  threatened  them ;  but  all  to  no  purpose. 

"  When  these  lands  were  sold  in  the  Autumn  of 
1828,  there  were  about  twenty  families  of  squatters 
at  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  old  Sauk  village,  most 
of  whom  attended  the  sale.  There  was  but  one 
family  able  to  purchase  a  quarter  section,  unless  we 
except  George  Davenport,  a  trader,  who  lived  in 
Rock  Island.  To  the  land  remaining  unsold  the 
Indians,  of  course,  had  still  a  right  by  treaty.  This 
right,  however,  was  not  allowed,  and  they  were  or- 
dered to  move  off.  In  1830  the  principal  chiefs  and 
others  among  the  Sauk  and  Fox  Indians,  informed 
me  that  they  would  move  "to  their-  village  on  Iowa 
Eiver.  The  chiefs  advised  me  to  write  to  General 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  219 

Clark  at  St.  Louis,  asking  him  to  send  up  a  few  of 
the  militia;  so  that  Black  Hawk  and  his  followers 
would  see  that  every  thing  was  in  earnest,  and 
would  move  to  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi  to 
their  own  lands."  I  wrote  as  advised,  but  General 
Clark  did  not  think  proper  to  comply. 

"In  .the  Spring  of  1831  Black  Hawk  and  his 
party  were  joined  by  many  Indians  from  the  Iowa 
Kiver.  Then  Gen.  Gaines  came  on  with  a  company 
of  militia  and  regulars,  and  compelled  them  to  re- 
move to  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi.  When 
Black  Hawk  recrossed  the  river,  in  1832,  with  a 
party  of  Indians,  who  numbered  in  all  three  hund- 
red and  sixty-eight,  they  brought  with  them  all 
their  women  and  children,  showing  that  they  had 
no  intention  of  making  war.  Gen.  Stillman's  de- 
tachment, however,  saw  fit  to  attack  them,  and 
there  was  nothing  left  for  them  but  to  defend  them- 
selves. The  war  ended  in  their  defeat,  and  some  of 
the  principal  Indians  were  put  in  chains  and  in 
prison  at  Jefferson  Barracks.  It  is  very  well  known 
by  those  acquainted  with  Black  Hawk,  that  he  ever 
sustained  the  character  of  a  friend  to  the  whites. 
Often  has  he  taken  into  his  lodge  the  wearied  white 
man,  given  him  food  to  eat  and  a  blanket  to  sleep 
on  before  the  fire.  Many  a  good  meal  has  the 
Prophet  given  to  the  traveler  passing  through  his 
native  village.  He  has  recovered  the  horses  of  the 
white  man  from  the  Indian,  and  restored  them  to 
their  rightful  owner  without  .asking  compensation. 


220  EAELY  HISTORY   OF   THE 

What  right  have  we  to  tell  any  people,  you  shall 
not  cross  the  Mississippi  or  any  other  boundary? 
Should  the  Indian  wish  to  return  and  revisit  the 
land  where  once  he  roamed  in  freedom,  sole  posses- 
sor of  the  land,  shall  we  meet  him  in  the  deadly 
array  of  battle,  simply  because  We  have  the  power?" 
In  the  above  extracts  many  occasional  comments 
upon  the  ruling  powers  have  been  omitted.  There 
is  every  reason  to  believe  that,  had  the  suggestions 
of  Thomas  Forsythe  been  listened  to,  the  sad  record 
of  this  unhappy  war  might  never  have  been,  and 
that  of  the  untimely  fate  of  some  of  our  country- 
men, who  fell  victims  to  their  exasperated  fury  at 
Kellogg's  Grove,  soon  after  the  commencement  of  the 
campaign. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  221 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

IN  1833  the  last  Indian  tribe  of  the  Pottawota- 
mies  sold  all  their  lands  in  the  north-eastern  section 
of  the  State  to  the  General  Government,  and  bid  a 
long  farewell  to  the  graves  of  their  fathers.  This 
cession  being  made  and  the  public  lands  surveyed, 
the  country  was  settled  up  in  a  few  years. 

The  Indian  has  some  noteworthy  traits  of  char- 
acter, as  some  of  the  following  anecdotes  will  show : 

Several  years  since  the  Sac  Indians  killed  some  of 
the  Iowa  tribe,  and  a  demand  was  made  for  the  mur- 
derers. By  compromise,  the  demand  was  reduced  to 
one  Sac,  and  the  tribe  agreed  that  the  murderer 
should  be  given  up  to  death.  The  Indian  on  whom 
this  sentence  fell  was,  at  the  time,  too  sick  to  travel. 
A  brother  of  the  sick  man  volunteered  to  die  in  his 
stead,  and  marched  with  the  Sac  chief  to  the  lowas, 
and  cheerfully  gave  himself  up  to  be  executed.  This 
noble  act  of  the  young  Indian,  who  was  so  brave 
and  generous  as  to  suffer  death  in  the  place  of  his 
brother,  softened  the  hearts  of  the  lowas,  and  they 
restored  the  young  Sac  with  honor  to  his  nation. 

In  the  Fall  of  the  year  1833,  Mr.  George  E. 
Walker,  Sheriff  of  La  Salle  county,  had,  in  his  offi- 
cial capacity,  a  singular  transaction  with  a  young 
Pottawotamie.  Walker  was  a  backwoods  man,  a 


222  EARLY   HISTORY  OF  THE 

man  of  great  ability,  and  keen  insight  into  the  In- 
dian character.  This  gave  him  great  influence  over 
the  Indians.  Two  Indians  had  been  concerned  in 
the  massacre  of  the  whites  in  the  Black  Hawk  war 
the  previous  year.  They  had  been  indicted  for  mur- 
der, and  had  appeared  at  the  time  the  circuit  court 
was  to  be  held;  but  the  term  of  the  court  was 
changed,  and  they  were  not  tried.  The  Indians, 
supposing  that  the  whites  did  not  want  them  any 
longer,  went  with  the  rest  of  their  tribe  over  to  the 
west  side  of  the  Mississippi.  Walker  and  other 
securities  were  responsible  for  the  appearance  of  the 
prisoners.  It  was  just  after  the  close  of  the  Black 
Hawk  war,  and  angry  feelings  existed  between  the 
Indians  and  whites,  yet  Walker  proposed  to  go  alone 
among  the  Indians  and  bring  back  the  prisoners. 
He  went  single-handed  into  the  heart  of  the  ene- 
my's country,  two  or  three  hundred  miles  from  any 
settlement,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  tribe  who  were 
exasperated  against  the  whites. 

He  called  a  council  of  chiefs,  and  it  was  agreed 
that  the  two  young  Indians  should  return  with 
Walker,  the  chiefs  being  certain,  as  well  as  the 
young  Indians,  that  they  were  to  be  hung.  They 
also  felt  an  extreme  dislike  to  the  ignoble  manner 
in  which  they  were  to  die..  To  be  shot  would  have 
been  more  honorable;  but  still  they  went.  Walker 
and  the  Indians  bade  a  long  farewell  to  the  tribe, 
and  started  for  Ottowa,  where  the  court  was  to  be 
held.  They  traveled,  camped,  and  slept  together 


WEST  AND   NOKTH-WEST.  223 

till  they  came  to  Eock  Island.  At  that  time  there 
were  many  Indians  collected  together  there  on  a 
trading*  expedition.  The  prisoners  had  a  strong 
dislike  to  being  seen  under  guard,  and  requested 
the  privilege  of  going  alone  through  the  settlement. 
Walker,  who  understood  their  character  and  lan- 
guage equally  well,  readily  consented  to  their  re- 
quest. They  said  they  could  die  like  men,  but  that 
they  could  not  endure  the  dishonor  of  being  led  like 
dogs,  under  the  power  of  Walker,  among  the  whites 
and  Indians  at  the  Island.  They  went  on  alone,  and 
met  Walker  at  the  place  agreed  on,  on  the  opposite 
side.  Walker  had  with  him  a  horse,  whose  services 
he  shared  in  turn  with  each  Indian.  Sometimes  one 
of  the  Indians  would  ride  on  ahead  and  prepare  camp 
for  the  travelers  as  they  came  up.  Walker  never 
held  out  the  least  inducement  to  them  that  they 
would  be  acquitted.  One  night  they  encamped  at  an 
old  Sac  encampment,  by  the  request  of  the  Indians, 
where  they  found  good  water  and  groves. 

Here  Walker  was  entirely  at  their  mercy.  His 
horse  ran  away,  and  one  of  the  Indians  went  in 
search  of  it,  traveling  ten  or  twelve  miles  before  he 
found  it,  and  returned  with  it  to  its  owner.  Indeed, 
he  was  in  their  power  for  many  nights,  when  they 
might  have  killed  him  and  returned  to  their  tribe 
without  again  being  sought  for.  For  these  traits 
of  honor  the  Government  procured  able  counsel  to 
defend  the  Indians.  Colonel  William  S.  Hamilton 
was  employed,  and  this  gentleman,  having  great 


224  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

influence  with  both  whites  and  Indians,  the  Indians 
were  acquitted,  and  returned  safely  to  their  nation. 

Another  affair  will  show  how  they  respected 
Walker,  and  how  much  influence  and  power  he  had 
over  them.  On  Peoria  Lake,  about  seventy  miles 
below  Ottowa,  a  young  chief,  Senacherine,  found  an 
Indian  who  had  murdered  another  Indian.  The 
chief  brought  him  to  Ottowa,  and  desired  Walker 
to  hang  him.  Senacherine  said  that  Walker  was  a 
great  man  among  the  Indians,  and,  should  he  hang 
the  Indian,  it  would  do  more  to  prevent  crime  than 
for  his  warriors  to  shoot  him.  Walker  was  not  at 
home,  and  his  father  met  the  Indians,  was  kind  and 
civil  to  them,  and  all  the  time  in  great  anxiety  as 
to  how  his  son  would  extricate  himself  from  the 
dilemma  in  which  he  would  find  himself  on  his 
return. 

On  Walker's  return,  the  young  chief  at  once 
made  known  his  business.  Walker  agreed  to  hang 
the  prisoner,  but  said  he  was  hungry  and  must 
have  some  dinner.  While  Walker  was  eating,  he 
gave  the  young  chief  and  those  with  him  some 
brandy,  and  ate  very  slowly,  that  he  might  reflect. 
Walker  was  a  large  trader  with  the  Indians,  and, 
therefore,  did  not  wish  to  displease  the  chief.  At 
length,  when  his  meal  was  finished,  the  brandy  had 
had  the  desired  effect  in  making  the  chief  relax 
somewhat  in  his  desire  to  have  the  man  hung,  as 
the  prisoner  himself  had  killed  the  other  in  a 
drunken  frolic,  and  was  totally  unconscious  of  the 


WEST   AND   NORTH-WEST.  225 

enormity  of  his  crime.  When  the  chief  had  become 
sufficiently  mellowed  by  the  brandy,  Walker  got  a 
rope  as  if  preparing  to  hang  the  prisoner,  and  said, 
"I  will  hang  the  prisoner  now,  if  you  desire  it;  but 
in  a  few  months,  when  all  the  Indians  will  be  at 
Chicago  to  receive  their  annuities,  it  will  be  more 
effectual  in  preventing  crime  among  your  tribe,  to 
hang  him  in  public  before  all  the  Indians.  How- 
ever, I  will  hang  him  now,  if  you  say  so."  The 
chief  decided  to  postpone  the  hanging,  and  before 
the  time  came  the  affair  was  settled  among  them- 
selves. 

Another  time,  when  the  Indians  were  at  Chicago 
to  receive  their  annuities,  a  drunken  Indian  who 
had  been  on  a  frolic  for  several  days,  and  was  en- 
tirely covered,  face  and  all,  with  mud  and  dirt, 
came  up  to  Walker  and  desired  to  kiss  him.  Walker 
replied  that  it  was  Sunday — a  holiday  with  the 
Americans;  but  that  if  he  would  come  to-morrow, 
he  might  then  kiss  him.  But  the  Indian  became 
sober  and  forgot  the  matter. 

Once,  on  a  steamboat  on  the  Illinois  River,  a 
young  clergyman  from  one  of  the  Eastern  colleges, 
being  very  desirous  of  getting  information  concern- 
ing the  Indian  character  and  peculiarities,  Walker 
was  pointed  out  to  him  by  some  wag  as  a  half-breed 
who  could  give  him  all  the  information  he  wished. 
Walker's  appearance  favored  the  joke,  as  he  had  a 
dark  complexion  and  exceedingly  black  eyes,  and 
also  spoke  the  Indian  language  fluently.  Walker 


226  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

gave  the  clergyman  all  the  information  he  desired, 
and  the  young  man  finished  his  questions  by  asking 
Walker  about  his  Indian  parentage.  Walker  carried 
out  the  joke  without  explaining,  and  the  whole  con- 
versation was  published  in  one  of  the  Eastern  papers 
as  information  coming  from  a  half-breed. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  227 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  origin  of  the  name  Chicago  has  been  much 
discussed.  Some  of  the  Indians  are  said  to  derive 
it  from  the  name  of  the  fitch,  or  polecat;  others 
from  that  of  the  wild  onion,  with  which  the  woods 
formerly  abounded.  All  agree  that  the  place  was 
named  after  an  old  chief  who  was  drowned  in  the 
stream  bearing  his  name.  This  event  must  have 
been  very  remote.  An  old  French  manuscript 
brought  by  General  Cass  from  France,  purporting 
to  be  a  letter  from  M.  de  Ligney,  at  Green  Bay,  to 
M.  de  Siette,  among  the  Illinois,  bearing  date  1726, 
designates  the  place  as  "Chicaugoux."  This  orthog- 
raphy is  also  found  in  old  family  letters  written  at 
the  beginning  of  the  present  century.  In  giving 
the  history  of  the  place  the  Indians  are  reported  as 
saying  that  the  first  white  man  who  settled  here 
was  a  negro. 

In  an  early  day,  when  General  Cass  was  appointed 
Governor  of  Michigan  Territory,  he  made  a  visit, 
with  his  family,  to  Chicago.  Public  houses  were 
then  scarce  on  the  Lake  Shore.  As  a  gentleman  in- 
forms me,  the  Governor  called  at  a  Frenchman's  of 
the  name  of  Byee,  and  inquired  if  they  could  get  din- 
ner and  have  his  horse  fed.  The  Frenchman  replied 
in  the  affirmative.  The  Governor  sat  for  some  time 


228  EARLY   HISTORY  OF   THE 

looking  at  the  landlord,  waiting  for  an  invitation  to 
dismount,  and  the  landlord,  in  like  manner,  looked 
silently  at  him.  At  length  the  guest  said,  "I  sup- 
pose you  do  not  know  who  I  am."  The  Frenchman 
said  he  did  not.  "Well,"  said  he,  "I  am  Governor 
of  Michigan."  "0,  be  sure;  we  are  all  governors 
here.  There  is  the  stable,  and  there  is  the  crib;  just 
go  and  help  yourself."  The  Governor  did  as  he  was 
bid.  After  dinner  he  did  likewise,  and  went  on  his 
way  rejoicing,  having  learned  that  there  were  more 
governors  in  the  country  besides  himself. 

Among  the  landmarks  of  Chicago  is  Mr.  Peck's 
building,  which  stands  on  the  south-east  corner  of 
La  Salle  and  South  Water  streets.  It  was  finished 
and  occupied  by  him  in  1833,  being  built  of  oak 
and  black  walnut  lumber,  which  were  hauled  from 
Walker's  mills — now  Plainfield — forty  miles  south- 
west from  Chicago.  He  bought  his  lot  of  W.  F. 
Walker  for  $80,  now— 1855— valued  at  $42,500,  and 
the  largest  part  of  it  sold.  In  1831  the  story  goes 
that  gamblers  would  stake  a  quart  of  brandy  against 
some  Chicago  lot  near  the  court-house,  and  the 
brandy  was  esteemed  the  greater  loss  of  the  two. 
The  best  lots  on  Lake-street  sold  for  from  $30  to 
$100.  On  the  26th  of  November  of  this  year  the 
first  newspaper  was  published  in  Chicago  by  John 
Calhoun.  On  the  first  of  October,  1835,  Colonel 
Russell  started  with  two  hundred  ox  teams  to  move 
the  baggage  with  the  last  of  the  Indians,  about  1,500 
in  all.  It  took  forty  days  to  reach  their  destination 


WEST  AND   NOETH-WEST.  229 

west  of  the  Missouri.  It  is  less  than  forty  years 
since  Chicago  was  surrounded  by  Pottawotamies. 
The  first  census  of  Chicago  was  taken  in  1837 — 
whites,  4,099;  colored,  71:  total,  4,170.  The  Illi- 
nois and  Michigan  canal  was  begun  in  1836,  ground 
being  broken  at  Bridgeport  on  the  fourth  of  July. 
The  Legislature  of  that  year  appropriated  a  half 
million  of  dollars  for  its  construction.  There  was 
not,  in  1831,  a  canal,  railroad,  or  plank  road  lead- 
ing out  of  the  city.  Three  years  previously  there 
was  but  one  mail  from  the  East  each  week,  and  that 
was  brought  from  Niles  on  horseback. 

Mrs.  Kinzie  relates  how  once,  upon  Sunday,  they 
rowed  up  to  the  point  to  attend  service  conducted 
by  Eev.  Mr.  See,  or  father  See,  as  he  was  more 
familiarly  called.  I  knew  him  well,  and  as  a  good 
preacher,  and  if  he  "got  into  the  brush,"  as  the 
pioneers  used  to  say  when  one  was  at  a  loss  how  to 
go  on  in  his  sermon,  it  was  no  more  than  others  did 
who  made  pretensions  to  greater  advantages  when 
trying  to  preach  without  a  manuscript,  and  at  last 
did  not  get  the  brush  cleared  away,  after  all,  as  well 
as  did  father  See.  Indeed,  I  have  often  thought  of 
the  story  of  one  of  the  "regular  succession,"  who, 
while  preaching,  suddenly  discovered  that  "  thirdly  " 
had  been  blown  out  of  the  window,  by  means  of 
which  he  lost  the  thread  of  his  ideas,  and  came  to  a 
full  stop. 

Father  See,  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  was  poor,  but 
he  was  one  of  the  "Lord's  poor."  If  his  hands  were 


230  EARLY   HISTOEY   OF   THE 

dingy,  what  else  could  be  expected?  It  showed 
that  he  was  willing  to  labor  six  days  in  the  week 
for  his  own  sustenance,  and  give  God  the  fruits  of 
his  heartiest  labors  on  the  Sabbath,  expecting  noth- 
ing again,  and  that  he  thought  more  of  the  salva- 
tion of  souls  than  of  personal  display.  Mrs.  Kinzie 
says: 

"We  saw  a  tall,  slender  man  dressed  in  a  green 
frock  coat,  from  the  sleeves  of  which  dangled  a  pair 
of  hands  giving  abundant  evidence,  together  with 
the  rest  of  his  dress,  that  he  placed  small  faith  in 
the  axiom,  'Cleanliness  is  next  to  godliness.'  He 
stepped  briskly  upon  the  platform,  behind  a  table, 
and  commenced  his  discourse.  His  subject  was 
'The  fear  of  God.'  There  was  a  kind  of  fear,  he 
told  us,  that  was  nearly  akin  to  love — so  near  that 
it  was  not  worth  while  splitting  hairs  for  the  differ- 
ence. He  then  went  on  to  describe  this  kind  of  fear. 
He  grew  more  and  more  involved  as 'he  proceeded 
with  his  description,  till  at  length,  quite  bewildered, 
he  paused  and  exclaimed,  'Come,  let  us  stop  a  little 
while  and  clear  away  the  brush.'  He  unraveled,  as 
well  as  he  was  able,  the  tangled  thread  of  his  ideas, 
and  went  on  with  his  subject.  But  soon  again  he 
lost  his  way,  and  came  a  second  time  to  a  halt. 
'Now/  said  he,  at  the  same  time  wiping  the  per- 
spiration from  his  forehead  with  a  red  cotton  hand- 
kerchief which  was  many  degrees  from  clean,  'now 
suppose  we  draw  back  a  little  piece.'  Then  he  reca- 
pitulated what  he  wished  to  impress  upon  us  of  the 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  231 

necessity  of  cherishing  a  fear  that  was  unto  salva- 
tion, 'which  fear/  said  he,  'may  we  all  enjoy,  that 
together  we  may  soar  away  on  the  rolling  clouds  of 
.ether  to  a  boundless  and  happy  eternity,  which  is 
the  wish  of  your  humble  servant/  and  flourishing 
abroad  his  hands  with  an  indescribable  gesture,  he 
took  his  seat.  It  will  be  readily  imagined  that  we 
felt  our  own  religious  exercises  at  home  to  be  more 
edifying  than  this,  and  that  we  confined  ourselves  to 
them  thereafter."  Mrs.  Kinzie  again  speaks  of  him 
in  another  part  of  her  book,  and  says:  "There  was 
also  a  Mr.  See,  lately  come  into  the  country,  living 
at  the  point,  who  sometimes  held  forth  in  the  little 
school-house  on  Sunday,  less  to  the  edification  of  his 
hearers  than  to  the  unmerciful  slaughter  of  the 
'King's  English/"  to  which  I  can  add  that  I  thank 
God  he  slaughtered  sin  also,  and  this  is  saying  much 
more  for  him  than  can  be  said  in  justice  of  some 
who  are  wiser  in  their  own  conceit  than  was  he. 

The  following  is  extracted  from  a  letter  of  Eev. 
Isaac  Scarrit,  to  whom  reference  is  elsewhere  made : 
"On  reading  the  ' Rise  and  Progress  of  Method- 
ism in  Chicago/  by  Grant  Goodrich,  Esq.,  I  feel 
somewhat  inclined  to  form  a  kind  of  appendix  to 
that  narrative  by  giving  some  reminiscence  of  my 
own.  In  1828  I  succeeded  Eev.  Jesse  Walker  as 
superintendent  of  the  Fox  Eiver  mission.  At  that 
time  James  Walker  was  living  where  Ottowa  now 
stands;  Pierce  Hawley,  Edmund  Weed,  and  J.  Beres- 
ford  lived  at  what  was  afterward  called  Holder  man's 


232  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

Grove.  These,  with  my  own  family  at  the  mission, 
constituted  the  whole  of  the  American  population 
on  the  north-west 'side  of  the  Illinois  Kiver,  and  be- 
tween that  and  Chicago.  The  whole  region,  except, 
a  strip  along  the  river,  was  Indian  country.  While 
here  I  planned  a  trip  to  Chicago,  distant  some  sev- 
enty or  eighty  miles,  and  about  midsummer,  with 
George  Furkee,  a  half-breed  Indian  who  resided  at 
the  mission,  for  my  guide,  I  set  out  on  my  adventure. 
"The  first  night  we  lodged  at  an  Indian  village 
near  to  where  Plainfield  now  stands.  The  next 
evening  we  entered  Chicago,  which,  in  addition  to 
the  buildings  constituting  Fort  Dearborn,  contained 
the  old  Kinzie.  house,  a  new  house  of  Colonel  Ham- 
ilton's, with,  perhaps,  one  or  two  others  in  that 
quarter,  and  those  of  J.  Kinzie  and  J.  Miller  up  at 
'the  point.'  The  latter  two  gentlemen  seemed  to  be' 
upon  a  strife  with  each  other  which  should  excel  in 
honor  and  popularity  whereby  to  promote  their  in- 
dividual interests.  I  took  up  my  residence  at  Mil- 
ler's, who,  with  laudable  generosity,  undertook  to 
administer  to  my  comfort  and  further  my  views. 
The  next  day  was  the  Sabbath,  and  I  sent  word  to 
Lieutenant ,  that  if  it  were  his  wish  the  super- 
intendent of  the  Indian  mission  would  preach  to  the 
soldiers  and  others  at  such  place  and  hour  as  he 
might  appoint.  Answer  was  returned  that  he  should 
not  forbid  the  preaching,  but  that  he  should  neither 
authorize  nor  make  any  arrangements  for  it.  Not 
to  be  outdone  by  the  honorable  lieutenant  on  the 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  233 

point  of  independence,  I  declined  going  to  the  gar- 
rison under  such  circumstances,  and  made  an  ap- 
pointment for  preaching  at  Miller's  at  night.  Most 
of  the  citizens  and  some  of  the  soldiers  were  present, 
and  gave  respectful  attention;  but  in  the  matter  of 
congregation  we  received  rather  more  than  we  bar- 
gained for.  During  religious  service  a  gang  of 
boatmen,  with  their  vociferous  yo-he's,  commenced 
landing  and  rolling  up  barrels,  etc.,  near  to  the  door. 
This  was  a  trick  of  Kinzie's,  so  Miller  said,  out  of 
spite  to  him  for  having  the  honor  of  entertaining 
the  missionary,  and  for  the  agency  he  took  in  pro- 
moting the  religion  of  the  place.  Some  murmurs 
were  uttered  on  the  desecration  of  the  Sabbath,  and 
of  disturbing  a  congregation  in  the  quiet  perform- 
ance of  religious  worship,  and  what  redress  the  laws 
of  the  land  provided;  but  it  was  finally  concluded 
that  the  laws  did  allow  ships'  and  boats'  crews  to 
land  their  cargoes  on  the  Sabbath,  and  so  the  good 
people,  after  having  manifested  to  the  missionary  a 
laudable  regard  for  the  sacredness  of  the  Sabbath 
and  the  rights  of  religious  worship,  let  the  subject 
pass  without  further  ado,  and  retired  satisfied,  no 
doubt,  with  the  respect  they  had  shown  so  rare  a 
personage  as  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel. 

"I  can  not  say  that  this  was  the  first  sermon,  or 
even  the  first  Methodist  sermon,  that  was  ever 
preached  in  Chicago,  but  I  may  say  that  there 
were  neither  intimations  or  indications  of  its  ever 

having  been  preceded;  the  whole  movement,  from 

20 


234  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

first  to  last,  bore  the  appearance  of  a  new  measure 
in  that  place. 

"  But,  whatever  numerical  rank  that  sermon  may 
claim,  there  is  one  consideration  that  renders  it  a 
subject  of  serious  reflection  to  me.  In  years  long 
gone  by  I  had  read  of  the  massacre  at  Chicago,  a 
place  somewhere  upon  this  mundane  sphere,  but 
upon  what  locality  of  our  earth  I  was  altogether 
ignorant.  My  impression  was  that  it  was  some- 
where among  the  antipodes,  but  a  deep  feeling  of 
sympathy  for  the  slaughtered  victims  took  possession 
of  my  mind.  Could  any  thing  short  of  Omniscience, 
then,  have  divined  that  the  same  sympathizing,  ig- 
norant individual  would  one  day  stand  on  the  very 
ground,  and  to  some  of  the  identical  persons  con- 
nected with  the  scenes  of  that  fearful  day  should 
proclaim  the  message  of  '  Peace  on  earth  and  good- 
will to  men.'  But  so  it  was,  and  such  has  ever  been 
the  dealing  of  God  toward  me.  He  has  led  me  in 
paths  I  had  not  known,  and  I  trust  he  will  still  lead 
me,  and  bring  me  unto  his  heavenly  kingdom." 

I  might  here  throw  in  the  weight  of  my  testimony 
as  to  whether  this  sermon  of  Eev.  J.  Scarritt's  on 
his  first  visit  to  Chicago  was  in  reality  the  first 
Methodist  sermon  ever  preached  there.  Eev.  Jesse 
Walker,  and  also  Mrs.  John  Hamline,  of  Peoria,  told 
me  that  in  the  Spring  of  1826  father  Walker  went- 
up  on  his  boat  from  Peoria  to  Chicago.  He  had  all 
the  hands  on  board  cease  work  till  they  could  attend 
prayers,  and  all  joined  in  singing,  and  then  a  fervent 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  235 

prayer  was  offered  up  in  their  behalf,  asking  the 
merciful  protection  of  a  Divine  Providence  through- 
out the  day.  I  have  no  recollection  that  either  of 
them  told  me  that  he  preached  during  his  stay  in 
Chicago;  but,  if  he  did  not,  I  presume  it  was  the 
first  time  he  ever  went  to  a  strange  place,  remaining 
as  long  as  he  did  at  Chicago,  without  preaching; 
and,  as  that  was  his  errand  up  there,  I  have  little 
doubt  that  he  improved  the  opportunity  he  sought. 
He  was  at  Chicago  during  his  stay  at  Fox  River 
mission,  and  if  any  chance  offered  he  would  not  hes- 
itate to  improve  it. 


236  EARLY  HISTORY   OF   THE 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE  present  chapter  is  devoted  to  the  publishing 
interests  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  is 
taken  from  an  article  written  by  Kev.  E.  H.  Waring, 
and  published  in  the  North-Western.  Christian  Ad- 
vocate : 

"  In  the  providence  of  God  the  proclamation  of  the 
'glad  tidings'  was  accomplished  for  many  centuries 
solely  by  the  tongue  and  the  pen.  But  when  the 
Reformation  was  about  to  unchain  the  Word  and 
send  it  forth  untrammeled  by  Popish  restraints,  God 
added  to  these  original  agencies  the  mighty  agency 
of  the  press,  which  was  consecrated  to  Christianity" 
by  being  first  employed  to  print  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures in  the  language  of  the  people.  This  invention 
has  given  a  great  impulse  to  the  spread  of  knowl- 
edge, for  it  secures  the  rapid  multiplication  of  books 
at  rates  of  cost  which  place  them  within  reach  of  all 
classes  of  the  population. 

"Wesley,  distinguished  for  his  practical  sense, 
availed  himself  extensively  of  this  means  of  dissem- 
inating his  teachings,  and  for  some  length  of  time 
his  press  supplied  the  Methodists  of  England  and 
America  with  Methodist  literature. 

"At  length  Providence  opened  the  way  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  Methodist  publishing  house  in  the 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  237 

United  States.  The  business  was  commenced  under 
the  superintendence  of  Eev.  John  Dickins,  in  Phil- 
adelphia, in  1789.  The  capital  of  the  infant  'Con- 
cern' amounted  to  only  six  hundred  dollars,  which 
was  borrowed  from  the  '  book  steward '  himself.  The 
first  book  printed  was  Thomas  a  Kempis's  '  Imitation 
of  Christ/  followed  shortly  by  the  'Arminian  Maga- 
zine/ the  Hymn-Book,  the  Discipline,  the  '  Saint's 
Rest/  and  '  Primitive  Physic.'  Mr.  Dickins  contin- 
ued to  manage  the  business,  with  great  fidelity  and 
prudence,  till  1798,  when  he  died.  He  united  in 
himself  the  offices  of  pastor,  book  steward,  editor, 
and  clerk. 

"We  can  not,  for  want  of  space  and  information, 
enumerate  all  the  changes  which  have  occurred  in 
the  management  and  progress  of  the  business  during 
the  seventy-four  years  of  its  existence.  In  1804  the 
establishment  was  removed  to  New  York,  which  city 
possessed  the  greatest  facilities  for  the  successful 
.prosecution  of  the  business.  In  1808  the  agents 
were  released  from  pastoral  duty,  and  were  required 
to  occupy  themselves  entirely  with  the  duties  of  their 
office.  Up  to  1822  all  the  printing  and  binding  was 
done  by  the  job,  in  private  establishments  in  the  city. 
In  that  year  a  bindery  was  established  in  a  building 
rented  for  the  purpose,  in  Crosby-street,  and  the 
building  referred  to  was  purchased  and  a  printing 
office  set  in  it  in  September,  1824.  This  building, 
with  additions  made  from  time  to  time,  being  insuf- 
ficient to  accommodate  the  growing  business,  the 


238  EAELY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

present  site  on  Mulberry-street  was  purchased  in 
1832,  and  new  buildings  were  erected  for  the  Con- 
cern, into  which  it  was  removed  in  September,  1833. 
These  buildings,  with  an  immense  amount  of  stock 
and  material,  were  destroyed  by  fire  in  February, 
1836,  involving  a  loss  of  $250,000.  To  replace  the 
Concern  and  renew  the  business  $88,346.09  was  re- 
ceived in  subscriptions  and  collections  made  through- 
out the  Church,  and  $25,000  from  insurance.  With 
these  means  the  agents  proceeded  to  erect  the  build- 
ings which  are  still  occupied  by  the  Concern,  and 
the  business  went  forward  once  more. 

"The  Concern  at  Cincinnati  was  established  in 
1820,  under  the  direction  of  the  late  lamented 
Martin  Euter,  who  continued  in  its  management 
till  1832. 

"It  is  to  be  regretted  that  full  information  re- 
specting the  progress  of  the  publishing  business  of 
the  Church  is  not  within  general  reach.  The  exhib- 
its of  the  agents  have  not  been  published  with  the 
papers  of  the  General  Conference,  excepting  those 
presented  at  the  last  two  sessions,  and  we  can  not 
find  any  satisfactory  account  of  the  early  history  of 
the  "Western  Book  Concern.  Whoever  will  gather 
all  the  available  information  respecting  our  publish- 
ing interests,  East  and  West,  and  publish  it  for  the 
benefit  of  the  public,  will  do  a  good  service  to  the 
Church. 

"Respecting  the  early  history  of  the  General  Book 
Concern  at  New  York,  Ezekiel  Cooper,  who  succeeded 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  239 

Mr.  Dickins  in  the  agency,  and  managed  the  busi- 
ness from  1798  to  1808,  in  his  letter  of  resignation 
to  the  General  Conference  of  1808  says  that  the  total 
assets  of  the  Concern  in  1799  were  only  $4,000,  and 
the  net  capital  only  $1,000;  but  at  the  close  of  his 
term  he  reported  the  aggregate  capital  to  be  $45,000. 
The  following  exhibit  shows  the  state  of  the  Concern 
at  the  periods  specified: 

Aggregate  Capital.  Net  Capital. 

1789 $600  00     

1799 4,000  00  $1,000  00 

1808 45,000  00     

1816 147,133  99  80,000  00 

1824 '. 270,002  28  221,459  78 

1832 448,745  70  413,566  93 

1845 645,879  46  641,283  32 

1856 738,977  36  568,272  65 

1860 714,963  63  540,721  80 

1863 526,650  02  496,968  14 

1867 645,324  14  590,571  70 

"The  reduction  in  the  capital  at  New  York  since 
1856  has  resulted,  as  we  understand,  from  the  heavy 
payments  made  to  the  Church  South,  and  the  sale 
of  old  stock  at  reduced  values,  rather  than  from  any 
real  falling  off  in  the  business  of  the  Concern. 

"  Respecting  the  early  condition  of  the  Western 
Book  Concern  I  have  no  information.  The  agents 
reported  in  1856  that  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  re- 
duction of  their  assets  by  the  dividends  paid  to  the 
Church  South,  and  by  other  payments,  they  would 
have  had  at  that  time  a  net  capital  of  $250,816.62. 
Their  report  for  that  year  was: 

Aggregate  Capital.  Net  Capital. 

1856 $234,026  84    $150,405  74 

1863 329,398  10     263,112  24 

1867 571,989  32    460,374  47 


240  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

"According  to  the  above  showing  the  aggregate 
capital  of  the  two  Concerns  amounted,  January, 
1868,  to  $1,217,313.46,  and  the  net  capital  to 
$1,050,946.17. 

"The  reports  show  that  the  sales  of  books  and 
periodicals  have  amounted,  during  the  quadrennial 
terms  specified,  to  the  following  amounts: 

New  York  Book  Concern.   Western  Book  Conceia. 

1844—1848 $487,222  04  $125,413  65 

1848—1852 653,190  78  200,829  53 

1852—1856 1,000,734  18  649,840  73 

1856—1860 1,175,867  29  1,127,851  00 


Total  since  1844 $3,317,014  29       $2,203,932  91 

Total  Sales  of  both  Concerns  from  1844  to  1860. .$5,520,947  20 

"  The  above  showings  are  significant  as  exhibiting, 
first,  the  steady  growth  of  the  business  as  a  whole, 
and,  second,  its  large  proportionate  increase  in  the 
West.  A  few  years  more  at  the  same  rate  of  prog- 
ress and  the  old  New  York  Book  Concern  will  have 
to  yield  the  palm  to  her  enterprising  daughter  of  the 
West.  So  mote  it  be." 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  241 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE  first  Baptist  Church  in  Plainfield  was  organ- 
ized in  October,  1834.  A  list  of  the  persons  form- 
ing the  Church,  and  officers,  is  here  given:  Eev. 
Joshua  E.  Ambrose,  Moderator;  members — Leonard 
Morse,  Elizabeth'  Morse,  Eebecca  Carmon,  Thomas 
Eiekey,  (elected  Clerk,)  Jane  Eickey,  Alfred  B. 
Hubbard.  The  first  church  edifice  was  built  in 
1836.  Elder  and  deacon  Ashley  came  to  this  place 
in  1837.  The  new  church,  which  was  built  in  1857 
and  dedicated  in  1858,  cost  $4,100.  The  member- 
ship was  one  hundred  and  twenty-five.  There  was 
a  defect  in  the  Church  management  in  supplying  the 
pulpit,  which  prevented  a  greater  prosperity.  When 
the  Church  became  dissatisfied  with  their  preacher, 
or  the  preacher  sought  for  a  more  congenial  place  of 
usefulness,  this  Church  would  be  without  a  preacher 
sometimes  for  several  months,  and  they  were  obliged 
to  depend  on  a  preacher  from  some  other  denomina- 
tion— some  transient-one — or  do  without  any;  and 
our  Congregational  brethren  were  oftentimes  sub- 
mitted to  a  like  inconvenience. 

The  pulpit  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
has  always  been  continually  supplied,  so  that  there 
was  no  break  or  want  of  a  preacher  to  promulgate 

our  doctrine  of  a  full  and  a  free  salvation.     This, 

21 


242  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

together  with  our  excellent  Church  government,  and 
a  membership  that  are  to  be  co-workers  together  with 
God,  has  greatly  contributed  to  the  building  up  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Plainfield,  so 
that  it  almost  doubles  every  other  denomination  at 
the  present  time. 

A  few  months  since  a  Baptist  deacon  from  Joliet 
inquired  of  me  how  the  Baptist  cause  was  prosper- 
ing in  Plainfield.  I  replied  that  I  did  not  know 
exactly,  b'ut  that  I  had  understood  they  were  with- 
out a  preacher,  and,  of  course,  they  could  not  expect 
to  flourish  under  such  circumstances.  After  speak- 
ing rather  despondingly  of  their  want  of  zeal  and 
derangement,  he  abruptly  changed  the  subject,  and 
asked  how  the  Methodists  were  prospering  with  their 
new  stone  church.  I  replied  that  they  had  got  the 
main  building  up  so  that  it  would  soon  be  ready  for 
the  roof.  He  paused  for  a  moment,  and  then  said, 
in  a  very  emphatic  way,  "  What  the  Methodists  can 
not  do  no  one  else  needs  try." 

I  think  that  there  are  but  few  places  of  the  same 
age  and  population  in  the  State  that  have  had  so 
many  powerful  conversions  as  Plainfield.  Some  have 
gone  home  to  heaven,  many  have  gone  widely  astray, 
yet  on  our  Church  records  are  now  two  hundred  and 
fifty  names.  In  1820  the  Methodists  of  America 
were  13,000  less  in  the  number  of  communicants 
than  its  elder  sister,  the  Baptist  Church,  which 
dates  its  American  origin  a  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  years  earlier  than  ours.  Ten  years  later  the 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  243 

Methodists  were  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  in 
advance  of  them.  Great  as  that  success  appears,  it 
is  small  compared  with  the  statistics  of  the  Cente- 
nary jubilee  in  1866,  when  the  Church  numbered  a 
full  million  of  communicants,  and  her  congregations 
a  little  less  than  four  millions. 

The  Church  is  now  divided  into  several  bands,  yet 
all  identical,  save  in  some  points  of  Church  govern- 
ment. Our  design  is  to  reach  all  of  our  population, 
from  the  northernmost  inhabitant  of  Canada  to  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific, 
and  thence,  by  missionary  effort,  to  plant  the  stand- 
ard of  the  Cross  and  the  liberty  of  the  Gospel,  as 
Methodism  interprets  it,  to  the  uttermost  verge 
of  our  green  earth.  These  different  bands  of  the 
Church  number  now  about  two  million  communi- 
cants. We  probably  owe  the  success  of  the  Church, 
in  a  great  measure,  to  its  Arminian  doctrines  of  re- 
generation, the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  and  sanctifica- 
tion,  together  with  its  systematic  organization  of  a 
Church  government,  so  perfectly  adapted  to  the 
wants  of  a  ruined  world;  and,-  above  all,  added  to 
this  is  the  blessing  of  God  which  we  so  earnestly 
seek  to  have  bestowed  upon  all  our  labors.  In  no 
other  sense  can  we  accept  the  saying  of  the  Baptist 
deacon,  "  What  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  can 
not  do  no  one  else  needs  try." 

In  the  growth  of  our  village,  as  with  all  other 
Western  towns,  there  came  a  time  when  the  temper- 
ance cause  needed  greatly  to  be  agitated.  So  a  time 


244  EARLY  HISTORY   OF  THE 

was  fixed  upon,  about  the  year  1833-34,  I  think. 
Our  circuit  preacher  was  William  Cravens,  and  Sam- 
uel Hamilton  our  presiding  elder.     It  was  decided 
that  there  should  be  a  pitched  battle  against  whisky. 
The  habit  of  using  it  in  the  harvest  field  and  in  all 
places  of  public  gathering  had  become  so  prevalent 
that  many  of  our  members  had  been  led  off  by  its 
baneful  influence.     So  it  was  resolved  that  at  a  cer- 
tain quarterly  meeting  in  the  region  of  the  Wabash 
William  Cravens  was  to  begin  the  attack,  and  Eev. 
S.  Hamilton  was  to  follow.   William  Cravens  was  not 
easily  beaten  in  his  strong  arguments  against  the 
use  of  intoxicating  drinks,  and  always  went  in  for 
the  teetotal  system.    When  it  came  the  turn  for  the 
presiding  elder  to  speak  the  ground  had  been  so  well 
covered  by  the  first  speaker,  and  so  well-toned  and 
convincing  were  all  his  arguments  that  there  seemed 
but  little  left  for  him  to  say,  yet  his  happy  and  mas- 
terly descriptive  powers  were  such  that  he  soon  held 
the  attention  of  the  congregation  while  he  portrayed 
the  drunkard's  god  and  its  worshipers.     He  said  the 
god  dwelt  a  long  way  up  in  a  great  hollow,  with  a 
bald  head,  and  a  long,  crooked  nose,  and  its  wor- 
shipers" would  come  and  sacrifice  their  corn,  their 
rye,  and  their  barley,  and  by  and  by  would  come 
and  drink  down  of  his  spirits,  and  become  so  lost 
that  their  hats  would  fly  in  the  air,  and  they  would 
shout  like  devils.     The  faithful,  fearless,  unflinching 
testimony  that  the  preachers  gave  that  day  could 
not  but  have  a  salutary  effect. 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  245 

But — to  come  from  this  to  personal  matters — I 
also  had  it  to  contend  with,  though  not  in  quite  so 
dignified  a  way.  In  an  early  day  I  rented  my  farm 
to  a  Mr.  B.,  and  wa-s  obliged,  for  a  time,  to  reside 
in  the  same  house  with  him.  I  was,  of  course, 
necessarily  away  from  home  a  great  deal  while  trav- 
eling on  my  circuit.  Mr.  B.  had  hands  at  work  for 
him  who  loved  a  dram  as  well  as  himself.  It  was 
very  annoying  to  the  women,  both  Mrs.  B.  and  my 
wife,  that  during  my  absence  the  jug  of  whisky  was 
kept  in  the  house  and  handed  round  freely  before 
them.  Immediately  on  my  return  it  was  concealed 
in  the  barn,  and  our  tenant  would  become  suddenly 
quite  religious  in  his  talk  and  professions.  The 
women  resolved  to  put  a  stop  to  this,  and,  taking 
their  own  way,  recourse  was  had  to  a  large  dose  of 
salts.  Mrs.  B.  hesitated,  but  Mrs.  Beggs,  who  had 
faced  the  dangers  of  Indian  warfare,  told  Mrs.  B. 
that  the  responsibility  might  rest  on  her  shoulders. 
So  one  day  just  before  the  men  came  in  at  noon  for 
their  regular  dram  a  large  dose  of  salts  was  put  into 
the  jug.  It  had  the  desired  effect,  and  the  jug  was 
removed  to  the  barn  for  the  remainder  of  our  stay. 

The  new  stone  church  in  Plainfield  was  com- 
menced in  1867,  and  completed  the  next  year.  It 
cost  about  $14,000.  It  was  a  great  undertaking  for 
Plainfield,  but,  all  lending  a  helping  hand,  it  came 
to  a  completion.  The  building  committee  were  John 
Sheffler,  E.  I.  Wood,  and  E.  M'Closky.  John  Sheff- 
ler  was  superintendent.  He  paid  more  than  any  two 


246  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  THE 

of  us,  besides  the  use  of  his  team  and  hired  man. 
It  is  a  beautiful  church,  fifty-two  feet  by  seventy, 
the  tower  and  spire  together  one  hundred  and  twenty 
feet  high.  It  is  handsomely  and  tastefully  finished 
off,  with  a  singers'  gallery,  large  enough  for  twelve 
or  fifteen  persons,  in  the  rear  of  the  pulpit.  In  the 
basement  we  have  three  class-rooms,  besides  a  con- 
venient lecture-room,  with  its  door  entering  through 
the  tower.  There  have  been  partly  or  wholly  built 
this  Summer,  three  or  four  other  churches — the 
Baptist,  Congregational,  Evangelical,  and  Univer- 
salist.  I  think  I  am  safe  in  saying  that  there  are 
more  persons  in  Plainfield,  in  proportion  to  its  in- 
habitants, who  come  out  on  the  Sabbath  than  in  any 
other  town  in  the  State.  As  to  the  Evangelical 
Church  in  Plainfield,  it  now  ranks  second  in  the 
number  of  members  in  this  place.  The  first  class  was 
formed  by  Eev.  George  H.  Blank,  and  Simon  Tolies 
presiding  elder,  Peter  Burket  class-leader.  There 
were  twenty-nine  members,  one  local  preacher — 
George  Motuger — and  one  exhorter — J.  Dillman. 
They  have  been  favored  with  a  number  of  revivals, 
and  many  powerful  conversions.  They  have,  per- 
haps, never  had  a  more  powerful  revival  and  gen- 
eral ingathering  than  when  under  the  two  years' 
pastoral  and  ministerial  care  of  Eev.  Daniel  I). 
Byers.  They  now  number  one  hundred  and  fifty 
members.  They  have  a  good  church  and  bell.  It 
was  commenced  in  1854,  and  finished  and  dedicated 
the  next  year.  This  denomination  has  here  located 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  247 

its  college,  and  it  has  been  in  successful  operation, 
with  President  Smith  at  its  head,  and  an  able  fac- 
ulty to  assist  him. 

The  following  notice  of  the  life  and  death  of  my 
wife,  Elizabeth  L.  Beggs,  is  from  the  pen  of  Eev. 
W.  F.  Stewart: 

"She  was  born  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  De- 
cember 27,  1813,  and  died  in  Plainfield,  111.,  August 
7,  1866.  She  was  the  daughter  of  William  and 
Susan  Heath;  was  converted,  and  joined  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  in  Zanesville,  Ohio,  under 
the  labors  of  Eev.  Joseph  Carper,  in  the  year  1827. 
In  the  year  1830  she  removed,  with  her  parents,  to 
the  vicinity  of  Washington,  in  Tazewell  county,  111. 
In  the  year  1831  she  was  married  to  Kev.  S.  B. 
Beggs.  To  marry  a  Methodist  traveling  preacher, 
in  that  day,  in  Illinois,  gave  but  little  promise  of 
ease  or  temporal  comfort.  True,  their  first  appoint- 
ment after  marriage  was  to  the  'eye  of  the  North- 
West/  the  embryo  city  of  Chicago.  But  Chicago 
was  a  frontier  mission  station,  from  which  the  wild 
Indian  had  hardly  taken  his  departure.  There  was 
no  richly  endowed  Church  corporation  on  Clark- 
street,  or  any  wealthy  membership  to  welcome  and 
support  the  preacher  and  his  family.  They,  how- 
ever, endured  hardness  as  good  soldiers,  did  the 
work  of  evangelists,  and  had  the  honor  of  making 
to  the  next  session  of  the  Illinois  Conference  the 
first  return  of  members  from  Chicago.  For  years 
they  did  emphatically  pioneer  work,  and,  when 


248  EABLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

there  was  no  prospect  of  support  from  the  Church, 
sister  Beggs  would  say  to  her  husband,  'Go  and 
preach,  and  I  will  manage  to  provide  for  the  chil- 
dren.' With  excellent  talent  for  domestic  economy, 
and  great  energy  and  perseverance,  she  always  man- 
aged to  keep  the  wolf  from  the  door,  and  to  extend 
hospitality  to  the  itinerant  and  the  emigrant  who 
might  call  upon  them.  By  the  blessing  of  God,  in 
after  years,  when  they  were  compelled  to  retire  from 
the  regular  work,  they  had  a  very  comfortable  home 
at  Plainfield.  Here,  resting  from  their  Jabors,  they 
rejoiced  to  watch  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the 
Church  which  they  had  assisted  to  plant. 

"For  a  year  previous  to  her  death,  as  sister 
Beggs  approached  the  confines  of  the  other  world, 
she  showed  how  calmly  and  cheerfully  a  Christian 
can  march  forward  to  meet  the  •  last  enemy.  She 
made  all  her  arrangements,  temporal  and  spiritual, 
and  when,  at  last,  the  summons  came,  she  fell  asleep 
in  Jesus  without  a  struggle  or  a  groan.  A  large 
concourse  of  friends  and  neighbors  followed  her  re- 
mains to  the  grave,  weeping  on  account  of  their  loss, 
but  inspired  with  the  hope  of  meeting  her  again  in 
the  resurrection  of  the  just." 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  249 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

A  SHORT  sketch  of  Methodism  in  Lockport,  111., 
may  not  come  amiss  in  this  work.  Lockport  was 
laid  out  in  1830,  and  a  sale  of  lots  in  the  Fall  of 
1837  paved  the  way  for  the  settlement  of  the  town. 
In  1838  William  Crissey  was  appointed  to  the  Joliet 
circuit,  at-  the  Illinois  Conference,  with  John  Clark 
presiding  elder.  This  circuit  embraced  Lockport. 
In  the  Winter  of  1838  William  Crissey  formed  the 
first  class,  consisting  of  the  following  members: 
Brother  G.  L.  Works,  class-leader,  and  wife,  D. 
Breesee  and  wife,  M.  Brooks,  E.  Lowrie,  Polly 
M'Millen,  Dira  Manning,  A.  Heath,  and  Julia 
Eeed,  with  some  others  not  known.  Brother  S. 
Vandecar  was  second  class-leader.  In  the  Spring 
of  1842  Colonel  Joel  Manning  joined  on  probation, 
and  was  appointed  class-leader,  and  continued  in 
this  office  for  nearly  fifteen  years.  It  is  due  to  his 
labors,  together  with  the  aid  of  Dr.  Wicks  and  other 
brethren,  that  Methodism  lives  and  now  numbers 
more  than  any  other  denomination  in  Lockport.  In 
1839  William  Crissey  and  A.  Chenoweth,  with  S.  E. 
Beggs,  supernumerary  for  the  Lockport  district.  t  In 
'Ottowa  district,  John  Sinclair  presiding  elder,  a  good 
year,  with  a  number  of  conversions.  In  1840  W. 
Wigley.  This  year  Eock  Eiver  Conference  was 


250  EARLY   HISTOEY   OF   THE 

formed,  and  Lockport  was  left- in  Joliet  circuit.  In 
1841  W.  Wigley;  he  left,  however,  before  the  year 
closed,  and  brother  Bachelor  was  supplied.  In  1842, 
Joliet  circuit,  E.  Springer.  In  1843  S.  E.  Beggs, 
Levi  Jenks,  and  James  Leckenby.  In  1844  brother 
Minord,  and  S.  Stocking  presiding  elder.  In  1845 
0.  H.  Walker  and  E.  E.  Thomas.  In  1846  0.  H. 
Walker  and  brother  Ellis.  In  1847  John  Nason. 
In  1848  0.  A.  Hunger.  In  1849  L.  F.  Bering, 
and  the  same  in  1850.  In  1851  A.  L.  Adams.  In 
1852  brother  Stock  dale,  and  Lockport  was  made  a 
station.  In  1853  brother  Eoe.  In  1854  0.  H. 
Walker  and  M.  Eead,  Plainfield  and  Lockport  being 
united.  In  1855  M.  Eead.  In  1856  brother  Wright. 
In  1857  brother  Williams.  In  1858-59  brother 
Baume.  In  1861  S.  Davidson.  In  1852  B.  T. 
Stover.  In  1863  J.  Vincent.  In  1864-65  J.  Line^ 
berger.  In  1866-67  J.  L.  Harris.  In  1868  W. 
H.  Fisher. 

In  the  year  1854-55,  during  M.  Eead's  adminis- 
tration, the  Lockport  church  was  commenced  and 
finished  at  a  cost  of  about  $7,000,  which,  perhaps, 
all  things  considered,  no  other  minister  in  the  Con- 
ference could  have  done.  When  all  other  resources 
failed,  he  pressed  some  of  the  most  able  brethren  to 
the  utmost  of  their  ability,  as  he  seemed  determined 
to  complete  the  church  before  he  left  the  station. 
The  church  has  proved  one  of  the  greatest  blessings 
to  the  membership,  and,  no  doubt,  will  continue  to 
do  so  to  generations  yet  unborn.  A  second  parsonage 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  251 

was  also  built  in  1867,  costing  about  $3,000,  on  a 
beautiful  lot  opposite  the  church,  well  arranged  and 
well  finished,  with  the  preacher  and  his  family  set- 
tled in  it.  The  cost  of  this,  as  well  as  of  the  church, 
fell  on  a  few  of  the  more  wealthy  members.  The 
Methodists  are  now  the  leading  denomination  of 
Lockport. 

On  Tazewell  circuit,  in  1830,  it  took  four  weeks 
to  make  the  round.  Peter  Cartwright  was  presid- 
ing elder.  The  first  quarterly  meeting  was  held  at 
George  Hand's,  December  17th.  The  brethren  pres- 
ent were  Jesse  Frankebarger,  Thomas  Savery — local 
preachers — and  myself.  The  exhorters  were  William 
Goodhart  and  John  Dixon,  stewards,  and  George 
Hand.  The  usual  questions  being  asked  and  an- 
swered, at  last  came  that,  "  What  has  been  collected 
for  quarterage?"  The  answer,  eleven  dollars;  trav- 
eling expenses,  one  dollar.  The  second  quarterly 
meeting  was  held  at  Eads'  school-house,  March  19, 
1831.  The  following  brethren  were  present:  S.  E. 
Beggs,  preacher  in  charge ;  exhorter,  William  Heath ; 
steward,  John  Johnston ;  class-leaders,  William  Eads, 
E.  Wixam.  Quarterage  received,  sixteen  dollars 
and  ten  cents. 

The  third  quarterly  meeting  was  held  at  Dill  en's 
settlement,  and  a  camp  meeting  was  also  held  on 
June  15,  1831.  Members  present:  Peter  Cart- 
wright,  presiding  elder;  S.  E.  Beggs,  preacher  in 
charge;  William  Brown,  local  preacher;  stewards, 
Gideon  Holly,  John  Johnston,  Thomas  Snell,  Abner 


252  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

Carpenter,  K.  Wixam,  and  James  Latty.  Quarter- 
age, nine  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents;  traveling 
expenses,  fifty  cents  for  Peter  Cartwright,  and  one 
dollar  and  thirty-three  and  one-third  cents  for  S.  E. 
Beggs.  The  fourth  quarterly  meeting,  and  also  a 
camp  meeting,  were  held  at  [Randolph's  Grove,  on  the 
10th  of  September,  1831.  Preachers,  Peter  Cart- 
wright  and  S.  E.  Beggs.  The  following  brethren 
were  examined  and  approved:  Jesse  Frankebarger, 
T.  Savery,  William  Brown,  Gabriel  Watt,  Thomas 
Davis,  C.  M'Cord,  S.  Stringfield,  and  J.  Lathy. 
Exhorters:  William  Goodhart,  John  Dixon,  William 
Heath,  Eobert  Coper,  Dudley  Eichards,  and  David 
Trimmer.  The  stewards  were  John  Johnston,  John 
Dixon,  William  Heath,  George  Hand,  William 
Hodge,  and  William  Eads.  Gideon  Holly,  record- 
ing steward;  James  Lathy,  secretary.  After  all,, 
expenses  deducted,  there  was  left  for  me.  as  quarter- 
age fifty-five  dollars  and  sixteen  cents. 

On  the  Tazewell  circuit,  in  18.31,  there  was  no 
church,  nor  towns,  save  Peoria  and  Pekin.  There 
were  four  American  families  in  the  former,  and  six 
in  the  latter,  and  a  membership  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty-two  in  all  its  boundaries.  Look  now  at  the 
cities  and  towns,  its  population  and  institutions  of 
learning,  its  internal  improvements,  the  number  of 
preachers  and  presiding  elders,  its  churches  and 
comfortable  parsonages,  its  thousands  of  member- 
ship, and  their  multiplied  conversions  annually. 

The.  first  class  and   first   quarterly  meeting   in 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  253 

South  Ottpwa  was  formed  and  held  by  myself.  In 
1833  I  formed  the  class,  and  in  the  Winter  of  1834 
we  held  our  first  quarterly  meeting  at  sister  Pern- 
brook's,  John  Sinclair  presiding  elder.  The  breth- 
ren and  sisters  from  a  distance  came  in — sister  Pitzer 
from  about  eight  miles  up  Fox  River,  and  brother 
Olmstead  nearly  the  same  distance  up  the  Illinois 
Eiver.  They  were  strangers,  having  but  just  moved 
into  the  country.  I  have  given  a  particular  account 
of  this  meeting  elsewhere. 

At  our  Conference  in  Rockford,  in  1849,  where 
Bishop  Janes  presided,  business  was  dispatched  with 
great  rapidity,  and  very  much  to  the  satisfaction  of 
the  Conference.  "When  the  time  came  for  fixing  a 
place  to  hold  the  next  Conference,  several  preach- 
ers claimed  that  their  stations  had  the  preference. 
James  Stoten  presented  Plainfield  as  being  the  most 
desirable.  To  this  it  was  objected  that  it  would  not 
be  possible  to  accommodate  all  the  preachers.  This, 
of  course,  called  forth  a  short  speech  from  myself. 
I  said  that  all  those  whom  the  brethren  and  friends 
could  not  entertain  could  find  accommodations  at 
the  hotels,  there  being  two  excellent  ones  in  the 
place,  and  I  would  foot  the  bills  myself.  As  the 
result,  when  the  vote  was  put  Plainfield  was  fixed 
upon,  July  17,  1850. 

The  time  soon  rolled  round,  and  our  little  village 
witnessed  its  first  Conference.  The  weather  was 
extremely  warm,  and  Bishop  Hamline,  who  presided, 
felt  its  effects  very  much  in  his  feeble  state  of  health. 


254  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

Still  he  labored  unremittingly,  and  preached  a  pow- 
erful sermon  on  the  Sabbath,  which  came  near  pros- 
trating him.  Our  love-feast,  as  usual,  was  appointed 
at  nine  o'clock  on  Sabbath  morning.  All  wished  to 
enjoy  it,  and  the  consequence  was  that  the  church 
was  very  much  crowded,  and  when  it  was  time  for 
love-feast  to  commence  the  Bishop  asked  the  pastor 
if  our  rules  had  been  obeyed  in  admitting  persons 
into  love-feast  that  morning.  He  said  they  had  not. 
The  Bishop  then  said,  "I  can  not  consent  to  relate 
my  experience  before  this  mixed  assemblage,  and  we 
will  change  it  into  a  social  meeting  of  singing  and 
prayer."  During  this  Conference  I  boarded  ten 
preachers,  and  one  day  while  at  dinner  one  of  the 
brethren  wondered  why  it  was  that  I  succeeded  in 
gaining  so  much  more  of  this  world's  goods  than 
the  rest  of  the  preachers.  Brother  E.  Haney  said, 
"I  can  tell  you.  While  you  are  roasting  your 
shins  around  the  fire  he  has  been  at  work."  At 
that  time  brother  L.  Swormstedt  was  Book  Agent, 
and  not  finding  a  suitable  room  for  settling  up  his 
periodical  accounts,  he  inquired  after  that  man  who 
had  promised  at  the  Kockford  Conference  to  furnish 
suitable  accommodations  or  foot  the  bill.  As  I  had 
a  small  account  to  settle  with  him,  I  made  my  way 
up,  and  told  him  my  errand,  and  gave  him  my  name. 
He  looked  astonished,  and  asked  if  I  was  the  man 
who  was  to  foot  the  bill.  I  told  him  that  I  was, 
and  he  replied,  "  When  I  heard  of  you  down  in  Cin- 
cinnati, and  of  your  promise,  I  took  you  to  be  some 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  255 

old  Revolutionary  soldier."  I  said  no,  but  that  I 
had  been  in  the  Black  Hawk  War,  and  that  my 
house  had  been  made  a  fort  where  fifty  m'en  were 
stationed. 

It  was  at  this  Conference  that  we  resolved  to  re- 
move the  remains  of  Jesse  "Walker  from  their  obscure 
resting-place,  one  mile  south  of  our  cemetery.  I 
think  it  was  in  the  Fall  of  1834  that  I  performed 
the  marriage  ceremony  which  united  him  to  his  sec- 
ond wife.  He  had  then  served  two  years  in  the 
Chicago  mission  station,  after  which  lie  sustained  a 
superannuated  relation,  and  settled  on  a  small  farm 
about  twelve  miles  west  of  Chicago,  on  the  Des- 
plaines  River,  and  there  he  remained  till  he  changed 
the  cross  for  the  crown,  and  earth  for  heaven,  on 
the  5th  of  October,  1835.  He  was  buried  in  Plain- 
field,  and 'there  rested  till  his  sons  in  the  Gospel  re- 
solved to  remove  his  remains  to  their  present  resting- 
place.  When  the  hour  arrived  for  the  interment 
the  Conference  adjourned,  and  marched  in  solemn 
procession  to  the  grave.  The  remains  of  his  first 
wife  had  also  been  disinterred,  and  brought  to  be 
buried  with  him.  In  one  large  coffin  the  bones 
were  placed,  and  laid  as  nearly  in  their  natural 
order  as  possible. 

It  was  a  season  of  great  solemnity,  both  to  our 
village  and  to  the  members  of  Conference.  It  had 
been  arranged  that  there  should  be  several  speakers 
to  bear  testimony  to  the  zeal  of  this  untiring  serv- 
ant in  the  work  of  the  Lord  before  the  coffin  was 


256  EAELY  HISTORY   OF   THE 

concealed  forever  from  our  sight.  As  I  had  known 
him  personally  longer  than  any  other  one  present,  I 
was  to  lead  in  the  remarks.  After  singing  and 
prayer,  I  proceeded  to  give  a  concise  history  of  his 
arrival  in  this  State  as  missionary,  in  the  Fall  of 
1805,  his  extensive  and  different  fields  of  labor,  and 
especially  our  labors  in  the  Central  and  Bock  Kiver 
Conferences.  When  I  recounted  our  labors  and  suf- 
ferings in  this  new  and  uncultivated  region  together 
in  the  Lord's  vineyard,  my  heart  was  'too  full  for 
utterance,  and  I  closed  by  adding,  "For  all  this  I 
shall  be  well  rewarded  if,  at  last,  I  can  lie  down  by 
his  side  in  this  beautiful  resting-place  of  the  dead." 
Rev.  J.  Scarritt,  who  followed,  was  very  happy  in 
his  remarks  in  portraying  the  untiring  labors,  great 
usefulness,  and  kappy  death  of  this  unexcelled  mis- 
sionary. There  were  several  others  who  made  a  few' 
remarks,  and  upon  our  memories  were  forever  en- 
graved the  solemnities  of  the  occasion.  The  Confer- 
ence proceeded  forthwith  to  raise  a  subscription,  that 
a  suitable  headstone  might  be  placed  to  mark  his 
sainted  grave.  I  was  appointed  as  a  committee  to 
procure  it,  and  have  made  mention  of  it  elsewhere. 
In  1831,  or  near  this  time,  there  was  a  call  made 
for  missionaries  to  go  to  Oregon,  among  the  Flat- 
heads.  By  some  means  this  tribe  heard  that  the 
white  man  toward  the  setting  sun  had  a  big  book 
that  told  all  about  the  Great  Spirit,  and  their  anxi- 
ety to  hear  of  him  was  so  great  that  they  called  a 
council,  and  dispatched  a  delegation  of  six  Indians 


WEST  AND  NOETH-WEST.      .  257 

to  travel  east  till  they  came  to  the  white  man's  wig- 
wam, that  they  might  know  what  the  book  taught 
concerning  the  Great  Spirit.  As  General  Clarke,  of 
St.  Louis,  was  well  known  among  them,  they  went 
to  him  as  the  one  most  likely  to  give  them  reliable 
information.  When  he  learned  their  errand  he  gave 
them  a  Bible,  and  explained  to  them  the  white  man's 
beliefs  of  the  creation,  fall,  and  restoration  through 
Christ — that  we,  through  him,  might,  upon  the  condi- 
tions of  repentance  and  faith,  be  fit  to  enter  heaven. 
Getting  what  further  information  they  could,  they 
started  back  to  publish  the  glad  news  of  salvation 
to  their  brethren,  and  what  they  had  learned  of  the 
Great  Spirit.  It  was  reported  that  but  few  of  them 
ever  reached  their  home;  most  of  them  fell  in  the 
wilderness  before  they  had  the  happiness  of  pointing 
their  friends  to-  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away 
the  sins  of  the  world. 

Their  solicitations  for  missionaries  were  so  urgent 
that  Bangs  and  Fisk  advocated  their  new  claim  upon 
the  civilized  world,  through  the  columns  of  the  Ad- 
vocate, with  great  earnestness  and  ability,  till  there 
came  up  an  enthusiastic  response  to  the  call.  Jason 
and  Daniel  Lee  and  Cyrus  Shepherd  were  sent  out 
as  missionaries  to  this  new  field  of  labor.  Bangs 
says  that  this  had  a  most  happy  effect  upon  the  mis- 
sionary cause  generally.  Heretofore  the  entire  fund 
raised  for  that  purpose  had  not  exceeded  eighteen 
hundred  dollars  a  year.  The  Macedonian  cry  was 

responded    to    throughout    the    entire    Church    by 

22 


258  EAELY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

doubling  the  amount  raised  the  year  of  their  depart- 
ure. The  mission  formed  by  these  men,  Stevens 
says,  has  since  become  the  nucleus  of  Christianity 
and  civilization  of  the  new  and  important  State 
which  has  since  arisen  on  the  north  Pacific  coast. 

In  the  Fall  of  1838,  when  our  Conference  was  in 
session  at  Alton,  in  the  midst  of  business,  Jason  Lee 
stepped  into  the  Conference  room,  after  seven  years 
of  absence.  His  long  exposure  to  sun  and  rain, 
camping  out  nights,  besides  afflictions  in  the  loss  of 
his  dear  companion — a  wife  and  mother — all  pressing 
and  wearing  upon  him  amid  his  untiring  labors,  were 
as  so  many  chapters  of  untold  suffering;  and  yet,  in 
his  countenance,  there  was  a  heavenly  resignation, 
and  a  mute  expression  which  seemed  to  say,  "Not 
my  will,  but  thine  be  done-"  Our  astonishment  was 
increased  when  he  introduced  as  his  traveling  com- 
panions two  or  three  of  the  natives  from  the  tribe 
of  the  Flathead  Indians.  It  was  very  curious  to  see 
.these  Indians,  with  their  heads  perfectly  flat  from  the 
nose  upward  to  the  crown,  tapering  all  the  way.  I 
suppose  that  at  the  present  time  this  practice  of 
wearing  a  board  while  quite*  young  in  order  to  bring 
the  head  to  this  peculiar  shape  is  very  well  known, 
yet  it  would,  no  doubt,  surprise  us  now  to  see  sud- 
denly coming  into  a  large  audience  these  singular 
children  of  the  forest.  They  had  made  considerable 
progress  in  learning,  and  had  beautiful  voices  for 
singing,  and  sang  several  Methodist  hymns  in  their 
own  language.  Some  of  them  professed  religion,  and 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  259 

were  members  of  the  Church.  Mr.  Lee's  design  in. 
bringing  them  here  was  to  educate  them  and  send 
them  back  as  missionaries  to  Oregon. 

The  foregoing  is  the  most  reliable  information  that 
I  could  get  respecting  the  Oregon  mission.  I  presume 
the  sermon  that  General  Clarke  preached  to  the  Flat- 
heads  was  the  first  and  the  last  orthodox  sermon  he 
ever  preached.  He  died  in  St.  Louis,  on  the  1st  of 
September,  1838.  He  had  been  Governor  from  1813 
to  1820,  and  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs  till  his 
death.  In  1803  he  explored  the  Pacific  coast,  and 
through  this  means  the  tribe  referred  to  probably 
became  acquainted  with  him.  When  our  zeal  is 
brought  in  comparison  with  that  of  those  ignorant 
Indians  in  obtaining  a  knowledge  of  the  true  God, 
with  what  force  may  we  take  to  ourselves  the  charge 
of  Paul  to  the  brethren :  "  Some  have  not  the  knowl- 
edge of  God.  I  speak  this  to  your  shame." 


260  EARLY  HISTORY   OF   THE 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

IN  Niles's  Register,  sixth  volume,  page  394,  may 
be  found  the  earliest  suggestions  of  a  canal  from 
Lake  Michigan  to  the  navigable  waters  of  the  Illi- 
nois River  that  we  have  found  in  print.  The  date 
is  August  6,  1814,  in  the  time  of  the  war,  and  it  is 
a  paragraph  from  a  series  of  editorial  articles  on  the 
great  importance,  in  a  National  point  of  view,  of  the 
States  and  Territories  of  this  now  great  central  val- 
ley. We  give  the  extract:  "By  the  Illinois  River 
it  is  probable  that  Buffalo  may  be  united  with  New 
Orleans  by  inland  navigation  through  Lakes  Erie, 
Huron,  and  Michigan,  and  down  that  river  to  the 
Mississippi.  What  a  route!  How  stupendous  the 
idea !  How  dwindles  the  importance  of  the  artificial 
canals  of  Europe  compared  with  this  water  commu- 
nication !  If  it  should  ever  take  place,  the  Territory 
of  Illinois  will  become  the  seat  of  immense  com- 
merce, and  a  market  for  the  commodities  of  all  re- 
gions." Governor  Bond,  at  the  first  session  of  the 
General  Assembly,  in  1818,  brought  this  subject  be- 
fore that  body  in  his  inaugural  message.  He  sug- 
gested an  early  application  to  Congress  for  a  certain 
per  centage  from  the  sales  of  the  public  lands,  to  be 
appropriated  to  that  object.  In  his  valedictory  mes- 
sage, in  December,  1822,  he  again  refers  to  it,  and 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  261 

to  his  first  address,  and  states:  "It  is  believed  that 
the  public  sentiment  has  been  ascertained  in  relation 
to  this  subject,  and  that  our  fellow-citizens  are  pre- 
pared to  sustain  their  representatives  in  the  adop- 
tion of  measures  subservient  to  its  commencement." 
His  successor,  Governor  Cole,  in  his  inaugural  ad- 
dress, December  5,  1822,  devoted  four  pages  to  this 
subject,  and  referred  to  an  act  of  the  preceding  Con- 
gress, which  gave  permission  to  the  State  to  cut  a 
canal  through  the  public  lands  connecting  the  Illi- 
nois River  to  Lake  Michigan,  and  granting  to  it  the 
breadth  of  the  canal,  and  ninety  feet  on  each  side. 
With  this,  was  coupled  the  onerous  condition  "that 
the  State  should  permit  all  articles  belonging  to  the 
United  States,  or  to  any  person  in  their  employ,  to 
pass  free  forever."  The  Governor,  who  was  a  zealous 
and  liberal  advocate  for  an  economical  and  judicious 
system  of  internal  improvements,  proposed  to  create 
a  fund  from  the  revenues  received,  from  taxes  on  the 
military  bounty  lands,  from  fines  and  forfeitures,  and 
from  such  other  sources  as  the  Legislature  in  its 
wisdom  might  think  proper  to  set  apart  for  that 
purpose.  He  further  proposed  the  examination  and 
survey  of  the  river  and  the  canal  route  in  Illinois, 
and  to  memorialize  Congress  for  a  liberal  donation 
of  land  in  opening  the  projected  lines  of  communi- 
cation. An  act  and  memorial  to  Congress  on  the 
subject  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  during  the 
session.  This  act,  which  was  approved  February  14, 
1823,  provided  for  a  board  of  commissioners,  whose 


262  EAELY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

duties  were  to  devise  and  adopt  measures  to  open  a 
communication  by  canal,  etc.,  also  to  invite  the  at- 
tention of  the  governors  of  the  States  of  Indiana  and 
Ohio,  and,  through  them,  the  Legislatures  of  those 
States,  to  the  importance  of  a  canal  between  the 
Wabash  and  Maumee  Rivers.  Thomas  Sloe,  jr., 
Theophilus  W.  Smith,  Emanuel  J.  West,  and  Eras- 
tus  Brown  were  elected  commissioners.  At  that 
time  Sangamon  Eiver  and  Fulton  counties  were  the 
boundaries  of  settlements.  Only  a  military  and 
trading  post  existed  at  Chicago.  A  dozen  families, 
chiefly  French,  were  at  Peoria.  The  northern  half 
of  Illinois  was  a  continuous  wilderness,  or,  as  the 
impression  was,  an  interminable  prairie,  and  not 
likely  to  be  inhabited  for  an  age  to  come.  Morgan 
county,  which  then  included  Scott  and  Cass  counties, 
contained  about  seventy-five  families,  and  Springfield' 
was  a  frontier  village  of  a  dozen-  log  cabins.  Some 
of  the  commissioners,  with  the  late  Colonel  Justice 
Post,  of  Missouri,  as  their  engineer,  made  an  explora- 
tion in  the  Autumn  of  1823-24.  Colonel  E.  Paul, 
of  St.  Louis,  was  also  employed  as  engineer,  with 
the  necessary  men  to  assist  in  making  the  survey 
complete.  The  party  was  accompanied  by  one  com- 
missioner. Two  companies  were  organized,  and  five 
different  routes  examined,  and  the  expense  estimated 
on  each.  The  locks  and  excavations  were  calculated 
on  the  supposition  that  the  construction  was  to  be 
on  the  same  scale  of  the  Grand  Canal,  of  New  York, 
then  in  process  of  making.  The  probable  cost  of 


WEST  AND   NOKTH-WEST.  263 

each  route  was  reported  by  the  engineers,  the  high- 
est being  $716,110,  the  lowest  $639,940.  At  the 
next  session  of  the  Legislature  an  act  was  passed — 
January  17,  1825 — to  incorporate  the  Illinois  and 
Michigan  Company.  The  capital  stock  was  one 
million  of  dollars,  in  ten  thousand  shares  of  one 
hundred  dollars  each.  The  stock  not  being  taken, 
at  a  subsequent  session  the  Legislature  repealed  the 
charter.  During  these  movements  within  the  State, 
the  late  Daniel  P.  Cook,  as  the  Representative  in 
Congress,  and  the 'Senator  of  Illinois,  was  unceasing 
in  his  efforts  to  obtain  lands  from  the  National 
Government  to  construct  this  work.  As  the  result 
of  these  efforts,  on  the  2d  of  March,  1827,  Congress 
granted  to  the  State  of  Illinois  each  alternate  sec- 
tion of  land,  five  miles  in  width,  each  side  of  the 
projected  canal.  The  finances  of  the  State  were  so 
embarrassed  as  to  prevent  much  being  done  till  Jan- 
uary, 1829,  when  the  Legislature  passed  an  act  to 
organize  a  board  of  commissioners,  with  power  to 
employ  agents,  engineers,  surveyors,  draughtsmen, 
and  other  persons  to  explore,  examine,  and  determ- 
ine the  route  of  the  canal.  They  were  authorized  to 
lay  off  town  sites,  sell  lots,  and  apply  the  funds. 
They  laid  off  Chicago  near  the  lake,  and  Ottowa  at 
the  junction  of  Fox  River.  The  Illinois  survey  and 
estimate  were  again  made,  but  the  improbability  of 
obtaining  a  full  supply  of  water  on  the  surface  level, 
and  the  increase  of  cost  to  near  double  the  original 
estimate  by  reason  of  the  rock  approaching  so  near 


264  EAELY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

the  surface  on  the  summit  level  between  Chicago 
and  Desplaines,  led  a  subsequent  Legislature  to  au- 
thorize a  reexamination,  to  ascertain  the  cost  of  a 
railway  with  a  single  track  for  ninety-six  miles.  It 
was  estimated  at  one  million  and  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars. It  was  a  great  mistake  that  this  railway  was 
,  not  constructed.  At  a  special  session  of  the  Legis- 
lature, 1835-36,  an  act  was  passed  authorizing  a  loan 
of  half  a  million  of  dollars  for  the  construction  of 
the  canal,  and  the  board  of  commissioners  was  reor- 
ganized. On  the  4th  of  July,  1830,  the  first  ground 
was  broken.  At  the  session  of  1836-37  the  internal 
improvement  system  became  the  absorbing  question, 
and  the  canal  was  brought  under  the  same  influence. 
Loans  to  a  vast  extent  were  obtained  for  both  ob- 
jects, and  the  most  extravagant  expectations  were 
raised,  never  to  be  realized.  As  a  financial  measure^ 
the  canal  loans  were  distinguished. from  internal  im- 
provements and  other  loans,  but  all  failed,  with  the 
credit  of  the  State,  before  1842.  Contracts  were 
made,  and  the  work,  on  the  scale  projected,  was 
pushed  till  over  five  millions  of  dollars  had  been 
expended,  and  the  work  still  unfinished.  By  this 
time  the  credit  of  the  State  had  sunk  so  low  that 
no  further  loans  could  be  obtained.  The  contractors 
were  obliged  to  abandon  their  work,  with  heavy 
claims  against  the  State,  and,  in  1843,  a  law  was 
passed  to  liquidate  and  settle  the  damages  at  a  sum 
not  exceeding  two  hundred  and  thirty  thousand  dol- 
lars. At  the  session  of  the  Legislature  of  1842-43 


WEST  AND   NOKTH-WEST.  265 

an  act  was  passed  to  provide  for  the  completion  of 
the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal,  and  for  the  pay- 
ment of  the  canal  debt.  Under  this  act  the  bond- 
holders subscribed  six  hundred  thousand  dollars,  the 
estimated  amount  necessary  to  complete  the  canal. 
In  1845  a  board  of  trustees  was  organized,  three  in 
number,  one  appointed  by  the  Governor,  and  two  by 
the  subscribers.  The  canal  and  its  remaining  lands 
and  lots  were  transferred  by  the  State  to  the  board 
of  trustees.  Under  this  board  the  location  of  the 
canal  between  Chicago  and  Lockport  was  changed 
to  a  summit  level  eight  or  ten  feet  above  the  lake 
level.  Work  on  the  canal  was  resumed  in  the  Sum- 
mer of  1845,  and  it  was  completed  and  opened  for 
navigation  in  the  Spring  or  Summer  of  1848.  The 
first  sale  of  lands  and  town  lots  under  the  board  of 
trustees  took  place  in  the  Fall  of  the  same  year. 

I  am  indebted  to  Colonel  Manning  for  the  follow- 
ing correction  to  the  above:. 

"At  the  session  of  the  Legislature  of  1842-43  an 
act  was  passed  of  the  following  title: 

"'  An  Act  to  provide  for  the  completion  of  Hie  Illinois  and  Mich- 
igan Canal,  and  for  the  payment  of  the  Canal  Debt.' 

"Of  which  the  following  is  the  preamble,  to-wit: 

"'WHEREAS,  it  has  been  represented  that  certain  holders  of 
the  bonds  of  this  State  are  willing  to  advance  the  necessary 
funds  for  the  completion  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  on 
being  secured  the  payment  of  their  said  advance  and  of  their  said 
bonds  by  a  vested  lien  upon  the  said  canal,  lands,  and  revenues: 
For  the  purpose,  therefore,  of  accomplishing  an  object  so  desir- 
able and  beneficial  to  the  said  bondholders  and  the  State,  Be  it 
enacted,'  etc. 


266  EARLY    HISTOBY   OF    THE 

"Under  the  provisions  of  this  act  $1,600,000,  the 
estimated  cost  of  completing  the  canal,  was  sub- 
scribed by  the  said  bondholders,  and,  in  1845,  a 
Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal 
was  organized,  three  in  number,  one  appointed  by 
the  Governor,  and  two  by  the  subscribers — the  canal 
and  its  revenues,  lands,  and  lots  transferred  by  the 
State  to  the  said  board  in  trust. 

"  Under  the  said  board  of  trustees  the  place  of  the 
canal  between  Chicago  and  Lockport  was  changed  to 
a  summit  level  eight  or  ten  feet  above  the  lake  level, 
on  '  the  rough  cut.'  Work  on  the  canal  was  resumed 
in  the  Summer  of  1845,  and  it  was  completed  and 
opened  for  navigation  in  the  Spring  or  Summer  of 
1848.  The  first  sale  of  lands  and  town  lots  under 
the  board  of  canal  trustees  took  place  in  the  Fall 
of  the  same  "year." 

It  was  in  the  year  1816 — the  same  year  of  the 
rebuilding  of  the  fort  after  its  destruction  by  the 
Indians — that  the  land  on  which  Chicago  now  stands, 
and  a  strip  twenty  miles  wide  running  to  the  south- 
west along  a  contemplated  canal  route,  was  ceded  to 
the  United  States  by  the  Pottawotamies.  They  re- 
mained the  peaceful  occupants  of  it  for  twenty  years 
afterward.  It  was  not  till  1836  that  they  were  re- 
moved by  the  Government  to  lands  appropriated  for 
their  use  west  of  the  Mississippi.  Black  Hawk  con- 
tended for  the  lands  north-west  of  this  contemplated 
canal  route,  and  a  line  running  through  to  the  mouth 
of  Rock  River.  It  appears  that  a  treaty  had  been 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  267 

made  by  General  Harrison  at  St.  Louis,  in  Novem- 
ber, 1804,  with  the  chiefs  of  the  Sac  and  Fox 
nations — elsewhere  referred  to — in  which  they  had 
ceded  to  the  United  States  all  their  lands  on  Kock 
Eiver,  and  considerable  more  elsewhere.  Mr.  Peck 
says  in  the  Western  Annals,  page  546,  that  the  tract 
of  lands  ceded  by  them  in  1804  embraced  all  the 
country  lying  between  the  Mississippi,  Illinois,  and 
Fox  River  of  Illinois,  and  Wisconsin  Eiver,  compre- 
hending fifty  millions  of  acres.  It  was  in  the  same 
year- — 1804 — in  which  General  Harrison  made  the 
above  treaty  that  the  first  fort  was  built  in  Chicago. 


268  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

A  SHORT  sketch  of  Rev.  John  Hill  and  his  arrival 
at  Peoria  Conference  is  among  the  matters  of  inter- 
est in  the  settlement  of  the  State  and  the  progress 
of  Methodism.  Hill  was  born  in  the  State  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, on  the  15th  of  September,  1768,  town 
of  Berry,  county  of  Worcester.  His  father  moved 
to  Hampshire  county,  in  the  same  State,  when  John 
was  about  four  years  old,  and  remained  there  to  the 
day  of  his  death.  His  mother  belonged  to  Mr.  G. 
Whitefield's  Church,  and  the  boy  often  heard  her  in 
earnest  prayer  in  his  behalf.  He  emigrated  to  Can- 
ada in  his  early  manhood,  where,  at  times,  he  felt  a 
most  earnest  concern  for  his  soul,  sometimes  pray- 
ing, and  sometimes  almost  in  despair.  In  the  year 
1800  he  went  to  hear  Eev.  Joseph  Jewell  preach, 
near  Queenstown,  on  the  Niagara.  He  says:  "His 
whole  sermon  seemed  directed  toward  myself,  and  I 
seemed  such  a  great  sinner  that  I  cried  for  mercy, 
for  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  was  in  the  depths  of  de- 
spair. Happily  for  me,  however,  I  resolved  that,  if 
I  went  to  hell,  I  would  go  praying.  •  With  this  res- 
olution, I  continued  praying,  till,  by  faith,  I  claimed 
the  promise,  'He  will  have  mercy,  and  our  God,  he 
will  abundantly  pardon.'  The  change  was  so  great, 
and  the  evidence  was  so  clear  that  I  shouted  at  the 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  269 

top  of  my  voice.  I  was  in  the  depths  of  a  forest, 
and  the  thought  came  to  me,  It  is  well  you  are  in 
the  woods,  or  you  would  frighten  all  around  you. 
This  did  not  deter  me  from  continually  saying, 
'Glory  to  God)7  and  in  this  happy  frame  of  mind  I 
continued,  both  on  meeting  in  class  and  attending 
preaching,  till  Joseph  Jewell  gave  me  the  privilege 
of  uniting  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
In  the  year  1805  Eobert  Perry  was  sent  to  our  cir- 
cuit, and  came  in  the  fullness  of  the  blessing  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ.  He  seemed  to  live  in  the  full  en- 
joyment of  perfect  love,  and  preached  it  to  saint  and 
sinner.  He  gave  me  to  see  such  a  beauty,  and  such 
a  satisfying  portion  in  this  great  blessing,  that  I 
never  rested  till  I  entered  into  its  full  enjoyment; 
and  since  that  time  I  have  had  such  a  love  for  souls 
that  I  have  prayed,  exhorted,  and  preached  for 
nearly  fifty  years,  pointing  sinners  to  the  Lamb  of 
God,  and  I  trust  that  my  feeble  labors  have  not 
been  in  vain  in  the  Lord.  To  God  be  all  the  glory." 
Hill  emigrated  to  the  State  of  New  York  in  1812, 
and  labored  with  great  acceptability  and  usefulness 
in  the  counties  of  Genesee  and  Livingston.  In  the 
Spring  of  1838,  April  2d,  he  came  west,  and  arrived 
at  Princeville,  Peoria  county,  111.  The  population 
was  scarce,  and  but  one  Methodist  sister  in  the 
neighborhood.  He  found  in  the  "far  West"  a  great 
opening  for  ministerial  labor,  and  he  commenced  to 
work  in  good  earnest  for  God  and  the  good  of  souls. 
In  a  short  time  he  had  formed  a  class  of  nine 


270  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  THE 

members,  and  soon  commenced  preaching  in  the 
neighborhood.  In  the  Fall  of  1840  there  was  a 
camp  meeting  about  fourteen  miles  west,  at  Cutler's 
Grove.  E.  Thompson  and  W.  Pitner  were  preach- 
ers, and  N".  Berryman  presiding  elder.  The  little 
class  at  Princeville  concluded  to  have  a  tent  on  the 
ground,  and  several  of  the  neighbors,  both  professors 
and  non-professors,  joined  with  them.  A  certain 
Mr.  B.  had  several  daughters  at  the  meeting,  and 
he  gave  orders  to  the  teamster,  if  his  daughters  got 
religion,  to  hitch  up  the  team  and  bring  them 
home  before  the  Methodists  opened  the  doors  of  the 
Church  for  the  reception  of  members.  He  had  an- 
ticipated rightly.  His  daughters  were  among  the 
converts.  His  teamster,  according  to  orders,  had 
up  his  team,  and  no  entreaties  would  prevail  on 
him  to  stay,  The  daughters  were  obliged  to  go' 
home.  Soon  after  this  a  Christian  preacher  was 
sent  for,  and  the  daughters  were  baptized  by  him, 
and  they  joined  that  body.  They  did  not  remain 
long  as  members,  however,  but  came  back  and  joined 
the  Methodists,  among  whom  they  first  found  peace. 
In  1841  W.  Pitner  was  appointed  to  Peoria  circuit, 
and  held  a  camp  meeting  at  Princeville.  I  had  the 
privilege  of  attending  this  camp  meeting.  It  was 
increasingly  prosperous  till  Sabbath  evening,  when 
W.  Pitner  was  to  preach,  and  I  to  exhort  and  call 
up  the  mourners.  We  expected  that  evening  to  re- 
sult in  reversing  the  history  of  the  past  few  days. 
The  preacher  began  in  his  odd  way  of  portraying 


WEST  AND  NORTH- WEST.  271 

the  downward  path  of  the  sinner.  His  apt  and  un- 
varnished illustration  of  a  sinner  on  the  way  to  hell 
excited  laughter  all  over  the  house.  Every  one 
seemed  too  merry  and  trifling  to  have  any  good  re- 
sult from  such  a  sermon,  and  most  of  us  gave  up  all 
expectations  of  inviting  in  the  mourners  at  its  close. 
I  felt  that  I  could  not  exhort  after  that  sermon, 
and  told  the  elder  so,  when,  all  of  a  sudden,  he 
changed  to  one  of  the  most  terrific  descriptions 
of  the  finally  impenitent,  and  the  wailings  of  the 
damned,  till  it  seemed  as  if  the  sound  of  those 
wailings  reached  our  ears,  and  we  could  almost  feel 
the  darkness  of  despair  brooding  over  the  sinner, 
and  see  his  tearless  eyeballs  rolling  in  their  burning 
sockets,  and  his  poor  unsheltered  soul  cry  out,  "Lost, 
lost,  lost!"  All  eyes  seemed  as  if  turned  toward  the 
yawning  pit,  and  the  deep  sighs  heaved  from  a 
thousand  breasts — Lord,  save;  Lord,  save  the  sin- 
ner! And  then  he  pointed  to  the  Savior  as  the 
sinner's  only  refuge,  telling  how,  through  him,  there 
was  yet  hope,  that  all  might  come  and  receive  par- 
don, and  that  the  joys  of  heaven  were  freely  offered, 
without  money  and  without  price.  I  have  never 
witnessed  another  such  a  scene.  It  was  as  if  they 
realized  that  the  judgment  was  near  at  hand.  Some 
fell,  and  lay  all  night  and  cried  for  mercy;  others 
screamed  as  if  hell  was  moving  from  beneath  to 
meet  them  at  their  coming.  Aiid  then  how  beauti- 
fully he  cleared  up  the  way  and  invited  the  sinners 
to  the  altar!  Such  as  had  strength  came  rushing 


272  EARLY  HISTORY   OF   THE 

and  fairly  tumbling  along,  some,  with  uplifted  voices, 
crying,  "Thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  us!"  In 
the  midst  of  all  this  the  preacher's  mellowing  tones, 
and  his  invitation  to  come  to  Jesus,  beggar  all  de- 
scription. The  cries  for  mercy,  the  bursting  forth  of 
praise,  and  the  preacher's  voice  sounding  out  over  all 
with  its  melting  tones  of  pardon  produced  a  scene,  I 
imagine,  like  that  of  God's  ancient  people  when  lay- 
ing the  foundation  of  the  second  temple,  "when  the 
old  men  wept  with  a  loud  shout,  so  that  they  could 
not  discern  the  noise  of  the  shouts  of  joy  from  the 
voice  of  the  weeping  people."  This  camp  meeting 
ended  with  glorious  results,  which  may  be  seen  to 
this  day.  That  class  suffered  a  great  loss  when  Kev. 
John  Hill  left  and  settled  near  Plainfield.  His  labors 
were  greatly  blessed  during  his  short  stay  of  eight- 
een months  with  us,  from  which  place  he  returned 
again  to  Prince ville,  and  labored  on  faithfully  till  he 
entered  upon  his  great  reward.  His  son  Benjamin, 
who  was,  in  his  father's  lifetime,  a  faithful  co-laborer 
with  him,  is  yet  among  us,  and  a  firm  Methodist, 
battling  for  the  Lord.  Many  of  Rev.  J.  Hill's  grand- 
children are  living  in  and  around  Princeville,  pillars 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  May  God's 
blessing  rest  upon  them  till  they  all  meet  in  heaven ! 
John  Hill  received  his  license  to  preach  from 
Nathan  Bangs.  A  short  time  before  his  death  he 
seemed  to  have  a  presentiment  that  his  life  was  near 
its  close,  and  one  Sabbath,  at  the  close  of  a  sermon, 
he  told  his  congregation  that  on  the  next  Sabbath 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  273 

he  should  preach  his  farewell  sermon.  On  the  next 
Sabbath*  a  large  concourse  of  people  met,  filling  the 
house.  It  may  be  easily  imagined  with  what  zeal 
and  pathos  he  delivered  his  last  words — a  dying 
man  to  a  dying  congregation.  His  last  sermon  will 
not  soon  be  forgotten,  and  eternity  alone  will  reveal 
its  results.  In  a  few  days  after  this,  when  a  brother 
had  called  to  see  him,  he  requested  that  he  would 
once  more  unite  with  him  in  prayer,  and  while  he 
was  commending  his  soul  to  God  his  happy  spirit 
took  its  flight,  and  entered  that  rest  which  remains 
for  his  people.  He  died  in  the  eighty-second  year 
of  his  age,*  and  fiftieth  year  of  his  ministry. 


274  EARLY  HISTORY  OP  THE 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  following  circumstance,  relating  to  Bishops 
Roberts  and  Soule,  was  given  me  by  Dr.  P.  Akers. 
They  were  on  their- way  to  Conference,  and  jour- 
neyed on  pleasantly  till  they  came  to  Columbus,  on 
the  Tombigbee  Biver,  Alabama.  They  left  this  place 
early  in  the  morning,  in  the  hope  of  being  able  to 
reach  a  house  among  the  Choctaw  people  in  time  to 
avoid  lying  out  among  wild  beasts  and  hostile  In- 
dians. About  noon  they  stopped  to  let  their  horses 
graze,  turning  them  loose  with  their  saddles  off  and 
their  bridles  tied  up.  Before  long  a  company  of 
Indians  approached,  and  Bishop  Soule's  horse,  a, 
high-spirited  animal,  took  fright  and  started  off  at 
full  pace  through  the  woods,  followed  by  the  rest. 
The  Indians,  seeing  what  they  had  done,  made  signs 
that  they  would  pursue  the  horses  and  bring  them 
back,  and  started  off  rapidly. 

The  Bishops  remained  there  till  the  next  day,  en- 
tirely without  provisions,  and  at  last  concluded  that 
they  would  walk  around  and  see  if  they  could  see 
their  horses,  or  some  human  being  to  relieve  their 
hunger.  They  soon  saw  a  smoke  in  the  distance. 
Hastening  to  the  spot,  they  found  an  old  squaw  cook- 
ing some  kind  of  meat.  Making  signs  of  hunger, 
and  of  a  wish  to  enjoy  her  hospitality,  she  soon 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  275 

placed  the  food  before  them.  Bishop  Eoberts  sat 
upon  the  ground,  taking  the  platter  in  his  lap,  and 
seemed  to  relish  his  food.  The  other  two,  however, 
after  taking  a  mouthful  or  two,  seeing  the  filthy 
manner  in  which  it  was  dressed  and  cooked,  were 
not  only  compelled  to  refrain  from  eating  more,  but 
lost  what  they  had  already  eaten.  But  the  Bishop 
kept  on  eating,  and  laughing  as  heartily  as  he  ate  at 
the  daintiness  of  his  companions.  Before  they  left 
they  found  that  they  had  been  served  to  skunk's  meat. 

They  soon  returned  to  the  place  where  they  had 
camped,  and  after  waiting  long  and  anxiously,  at 
last  saw  the  Indians  returning  with  all  their  horses. 
They  had  gone  back,  had  swum  the  Tombigbee,  and 
had  been  caught  and  retained  till  the  Indians  claimed 
them.  Some  years  after  this,  Dr.  Akers  was  accom- 
panying Bishop  Soule  to  a  Conference  through  the 
same  wild  region,  and  when  they  arrived  at  the  spot 
where  they  had  camped,  the  Bishop  related  the  cir- 
cumstance, and  they  had  a  hearty  laugh  over  it. 

The  following  reminiscences  are  kindly  furnished 
me  by  Kev.  Hooper  Crews : 

"  In  1832,  in  the  town  of  Eussellville,  Kentucky, 
God  graciously  converted  some  sinners,  among  whom 
was  a  merchant,  who  for  several  years  had  sold  dry 
goods  in  the  place.  He  was  remarkable  for  his  mo- 
rality— a  "quiet,  diffident,  retiring  disposition.  On 
one  Sabbath  morning,  at  the  opening  of  public  serv- 
ice, he,  with  a  number  of  others,  was  to  be  baptized. 
He  spent  the  day  before  his  baptism  in  fasting  and 


276  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

prayer  to  God,  that  he  might  be  baptized  with  the 
Holy  Ghost  at  the  same  time.  Nothing  occurred 
during  the  time  of  administering  the  ordinance  more 
than  what  is  common.  After  all  were  composed, 
and  the  more  public  service. was  about  to  commence, 
he  was  seen  trembling  as  a  man  shaking  with  an 
ague.  Almost  at  the  same  instant  he  arose  from  his 
seat  and  rushed  into  the  pulpit,  and  commenced  a 
most  powerful  appeal  to  the  congregation.  His  elo- 
quence was  astonishing,  and  a  most  extraordinary 
influence  came  down  upon  the  people.  The  uncon- 
verted were  confounded;  God's  people  shouted  for 
joy.  In  a  few  minutes  he  left  the  pulpit  and  ran 
out  into  the  congregation,  and  began  to  lead  the 
penitent  to  the  altar.  None  of  the  unconverted 
resisted  him,  and  he  continued  till  all  the  space 
around  the  altar  was  occupied  with  scores,  crying 
for  mercy.  All  thought  of  preaching  was  given  up, 
but  the  exercises  of  singing  and  prayer  went  on  till 
long  after  dark.  Many  found  peace  in  believing, 
who  made  very  worthy  and  efficient  members  of  the 
Church. 

"An  instance  will  serve  to  show  the  powerful 
influence  of  the  occasion.  An  old  gentleman,  well 
known  for  his  hostility  to  an  earnest  Christianity, 
for  some  cause  had  that  day  attended  the  church. 
He  had  taken  his  seat  in  the  gallery,  as  nearly  con- 
cealed as  possible.  Mr.  H.,  looking  up,  saw  him, 
and  ran  up  the  steps.  No  sooner  had  he  reached 
the  floor  above  than  the  old  gentleman,  seeing  his 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  277 

eye  fixed  on  him,  rose  from  his  seat,  saying,  'I  will 
go!'  and  without  resistance  he  came. 

"After  that  remarkable  day  and  its  occurrences, 
there  was  nothing  in  the  life  of  Mr.  H.  more  than 
in  the  life  of  any  other  good,  humble  Christian. 
He  lived  many  years  an  honor  to  the  Church  of  his 
choice." 

I  introduce  a  few  characteristic  sketches  as  ap- 
propriate in  this  connection,  from  Eev.  James  B. 
Finley's  "  Sketches  of  Western  Methodism :" 

"I  never  heard  brother  Axley  preach,  but,  ac- 
cording to  popular  fame,  his  pulpit  performances 
were  practical,  forcible,  and  left  a  deep  and  abiding 
impression  on  the  multitudes  that  thronged  together 
to  hear  him.  To  this  day  we  occasioanlly  hear  al- 
lusion made  to  a  sermon  he  preached  in  the  city  of 
Baltimore,  during  the  General  Conference  of  1820, 
of  which  he  was  a  member.  It  must  have  been  a 
potent  sermon  to  be  remembered  so  distinctly  for  the 
third  of  a  century.  I  have  heard  also  very  frequent 
allusions  to  his  pulpit  performances  in  different  parts 
of  the  Western  country,  where  he  had  operated  to 
good  purpose  as  a  traveling  preacher,  more  partic- 
ularly in  Kentucky  land  Tennessee.  But  perhaps 
the  effort  'which  occasioned  the  most  talk  and  ob- 
tained the  greatest  notoriety  was  the  one  said  to 
have  been  made  in  his  own  section  of  country,  and 
was  commonly  known  as  Axley 's  Temperance  Ser- 
mon, though  not  so  designated  by  any  preannounce- 
ment.  It  should  be  known  that  East  Tennessee  in 


278  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

those  days  was  regarded  as  a  great  country  for  pro- 
ducing peach  brandy,  and  for  a  free  use  of  it;  also, 
that  the  New  Lights  abounded  there,  familiarly 
called  Schismatics,  and  that  Church  members  who 
rendered  themselves  liable  to  a  disciplinary  process 
would  occasionally  go  over  to  them,  as  a  city  of 
refuge,  where  they  felt  safe  from  its  restraints. 
With  this  preliminary,  I  proceed  to  recite  a  passage 
from  the  sermon,  reminding  the  reader  that  my  au- 
thority is  not  personal  knowledge,  but  the  verbal 
statement  of  a  highly  respectable  Methodist  minis- 
ter, Rev.  Dr.  G.,  of  Tennessee.  I  write  it  substan- 
tially as  I  heard  it: 

"  TEXT  :  '  Alexander  the  coppersmith  did  me  much 
evil :  the  Lord  rewarded  him  according  to  his  works.' 
2  Timothy  iv,  14. 

"Paul  was  a  traveling  preacher,  and  a  bishop, 
I  presume,  or  a  presiding  elder  at  least;  for  he 
traveled  extensively,  and  had  much  to  do,  not  only 
in  regulating  the  societies,  but  also  in  sending  the 
preachers  here,  there,  and  yonder.  He  was  zealous, 
laborious,  would  not  build  on  another  man's  founda- 
tion, but  formed  new  circuits,  where  Christ  was  .not 
named,  'so  that  from  Jerusalem,  and  round  about 
unto  Illyricum,  he  had  fully  preached  the-  Gospel  of 
Christ.'  One  new  place  that  he  visited  was  very 
wicked — Sabbath-breaking,  dancing,  drinking,  quar- 
reling, fighting,  swearing,  etc.,  abounded;  but  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  took  effect;  there  was  a  powerful 
stir  among  the  people,  and  many  precious  souls  were 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  279 

converted.  Among  the  subjects  of  that  work  there 
was  a  certain  noted  character,  Alexander  by  name, 
and  a  still-maker  by  trade;  also,  one  Hymeneus, 
who  was  his  partner  in  the  business.  Paul  formed 
a  new  society,  and  appointed  brother  Alexander 
class-leader.  There  was  a  great  change  in  the  place ; 
the  people  left  off  their  drinking,  swearing,  fighting, 
horse-racing,  dancing,  and  all  their  wicked  practices. 
The  stills  were  worked  up  into  bells  and  stew-kettles, 
and  thus  applied  to  useful  purposes.  The  settlement 
was  orderly,  the  meetings  were  prosperous,  and 
things  went  well  among  them  for  some  time.  But 
one  year  they  had  a  pleasant  Spring;  there  was  no 
late  frost,  and  the  peach  crop  hit  exactly.  I  do 
suppose,  my  brethren,  that  such  a  crop  of  peaches 
was  never  known  before.  The  old  folks  ate  all  they 
could  eat,  the  children  ate  all  they  could  eat,  the 
pigs  ate  all  they  could  eat,  and  the  sisters  preserved 
all  they  could  preserve,  and  still  the  limbs  of  the 
trees  were  bending  and  breaking.  One  Sunday, 
when  the  brethren  met  for  worship,  they  gathered 
round  outside  of  the  meeting-house,  and  got  to  talk- 
ing about  their  worldly  business — as  you  know  peo- 
ple sometimes  do,  and  it  is  a  mighty  bad  practice — 
and  one  said  to  another,  '  Brother,  how  is  the  peach 
crop  with  you  this  year  ?'  '  0,'  said  he,  '  you  never 
saw  the  like;  they  are  rotting  on  the  ground  under 
the  trees ;  I  do  n't  know  what  to  do  with  them.' 
'  How  would  it  do,'  said  one,  '  to  still  them  ?  The 
peaches  will  go  to  waste,  but  the  brandy  will  keep ; 


280  EARLY  HISTORY   OF   THE 

and  it  is  very  good  in  certain  cases,  if  not  used  to  ex- 
cess.' '  I  should  like  to  know/  said  a  cute  brother, 
'  how  you  could  make  brandy  without  stills  ?'  '  That 's 
nothing/  replied  one,  'for  our  class-leader — brother 
Alexander — is  as  good  a  still-maker  as  need  be,  and 
brother  Hymeneus  is  another,  and,  rather  than  see 
the  fruit  wasted,  no  doubt  they  would  make  us  a 
few.'  The  next  thing  heard  on  the  subject  was  a 
hammering  in  the  class-leader's  shop;  and  soon  the 
stills  in  every  brother's  orchard  were  smoking,  and 
the  liquid  poison  streaming.  When  one  called  on 
another  the  bottle  was  brought  -out,  with  the  re- 
mark, '  I  want  you  to  taste  my  new  brandy  ;  I  think 
it  is  pretty  good.'  The  guest,  after  tasting  once, 
was  urged  to  repeat,  when,  smacking  his  lips,  he 
would  reply,  '  Well,  it  's  tolerable ;  but  I  wish  you 
would  come  over  and  taste  mine;  I  think  mine  is  a 
little  better.'  So  they  tasted  and  tasted  till  many 
of  them  got  about  half  drunk,  and  I  do  n't  know 
but  three-quarters.  Then  the  very  devil  was  raised 
among  them;  the  society  was  all  in  an  uproar,  and 
Paul  was  sent  for  to  come  and  settle  the  difficulty. 
At  first  it  was  difficult  to  find  sober,  disinterested 
ones  enough  to  try  the  guilty;  but  finally  he  got 
his  committee  formed ;  and  the  first  one  he  brought 
to  account  was  Alexander,  who  pleaded  not  guilty. 
He  declared  that  he  had  not  tasted,  bought,  sold, 
or  distilled  a  drop  of  brandy.  'But/  said  Paul, 
'you  made  the  stills,  otherwise  there  could  have 
been  no  liquor  made ;  and  if  no  liquor,  no  one  could 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  281 

have  been  intoxicated.'  So  they  expelled  him  first, 
then  Hymeneus  next,  and  went  on  for  complement, 
till  the  society  was  relieved  of  all  still-makers,  dis- 
tillers, dram-sellers,  and  dram-drinkers,  and  peace 
was  once  more  restored.  Paul  says,  '  Holding  faith 
and  a  good  conscience;  which  some  having  put 
away,  concerning  faith  have  made  shipwreck;  of 
whom  is  Hymeneus  and  Alexander;  whom  I  have 
delivered  unto  Satan,  that  they  may  learn  not  to 
blaspheme.' 

"  Of  course  they  flew  off  the  handle,  and  joined 
the  Schismatics 

"Although  the  following  anecdote  of  Mr.  Axley 
may  be  familiar  to  many  of  our  readers,  we  hope 
they  will  pardon  us  for  inserting  it,  as  it  is  worthy 
of  a  more  durable  record  than  the  columns  of  a 
newspaper,  from  which  we  clip  it.  The  late  Judge 
Hugh  L.  White,  who  relates  it,  was  a  learned  and 
able  jurist  and  distinguished  statesman,  and  for 
many  years  a  conspicuous  member  of  the  United 
States  Senate  from  the  State  of  Tennessee. 

"On  a  certain  day  a  number  of  lawyers  and  lit- 
erary men  were  together  in  the  town  of  Knoxville, 
Tennessee,  and  the  conversation  turned  on  preachers 
and  preaching.  One  and  another  had  expressed  his 
opinion  of  the  performances  of  this  and  that  pulpit 
orator,  when  at  length  Judge  White  spoke  up  : 

"'Well,  gentlemen,  on  this  subject  each  man  is, 
of  course,  entitled  to  his  own  opinion ;  but  I  must 

confess  that. father  Axley  brought  me  to  a  sense  of 

24 


282  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

my  evil  deeds,  at  least  a  portion  of  them,  more  ef- 
fectually than  any  preacher  I  ever  heard.' 

"  At  this,  every  eye  and  ear  was  turned,  for  Judge 
White  was  never  known  to  speak  lightly  on  relig- 
ious subjects,  and,  moreover,  was  habitually  cautious 
and  respectful  in  his  remarks  about  religious  men. 
The  company  now  expressed  the  most  urgent  desire 
that  the  Judge  should  give  the  particulars,  and  ex- 
pectation stood  on  tiptoe. 

"  '  I  went  up/  said  the  Judge,  '  one  evening  to 
the  Methodist  church.  A  sermon  was  preached  by 
a  clergyman  with  whom  I  was  not  acquainted,  but 
father  Axley  was  in  the  pulpit.  At  the  close  of  the 
sermon  he  arose  and  said  to  the  congregation,  "  I 
am  not  going  to  detain  you  by  delivering  an  exhort- 
ation; I  have  risen  merely  to  administer  a  rebuke 
for  improper  conduct,  which  I  have  observed  here 
to-night."  This,  of  course,  waked  up  the  entire  as- 
sembly, and  the  stillness  was  profound,  while  Axley 
stood  and  looked  for  several  seconds  over  the  con- 
gregation. Then  stretching  out  his  large,  long  arm, 
and  pointing  with  his  finger  steadily  in  one  direc- 
tion, he  said,  "  Now,  I  calculate  that  those  two 
young  men,  who  were  talking  in  that  corner  of  the 
house  while  the  brother  was  preaching,  think  that 
I  am  going  to  talk  about  them.  Well,  it  is  true,  it 
looks  very  bad,  when  well-dressed  young  men,  who 
you  would  suppose,  from  their  appearance,  belonged 
to  some  respectable  family,  come  to  the  house  of 
God,  and  instead  of  reverencing  the  majesty  of  Him 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  283 

that  dwelleth  therein,  or  attending  to  the  message 
of  his  everlasting  love,  get  together  in  one  corner 
of  the  house " — his  finger  all  the  time  pointing  as 
steady  and  straight  as  the  aim  of  a  rifleman — "  and 
there,  during  the  whole  solemn  service,  keep  talk- 
ing, tittering,  laughing,  and  giggling,  thus  annoy- 
ing the  minister,  disturbing  the  congregation,  and 
sinning  against  God.  I  'm  sorry  for  the  young 
men.  I  'm  sorry  for  their  parents.  I  'm  sorry  they 
have  done  so  to-night.  I  hope  they  will  never  do  so 
again.  But,  however,  that 's  not  the  thing  I  was  go- 
ing to  talk  about.  It  is  another  matter,  so  import- 
ant that  I  thought  it  would  be  wrong  to  suffer  the 
congregation  to  depart  without  administering  a  suit- 
able rebuke.  Now,"  said  he,  pointing  in  another 
direction,  "  perhaps  that  man  who  was  asleep  on  the 
bench  out  there,  while  the  brother  was  preaching, 
thinks  I  am  going  to  talk  about  him.  Well,  I  must 
confess  it  looks  very  bad  for  a  man  to  come  into  a 
worshiping  assembly,  and,  instead  of  taking  a  seat 
like  others,  and  listening  to  the  blessed  Gospel,  care- 
lessly stretching  himself  out  on  a  bench,  and  going 
to  sleep.  It  is  not  only  a  proof  of  great  insensi- 
bility with  regard  to  the  obligations  which  we  owe 
to  our  Creator  and  Redeemer,  but  it  shows  a  want 
of  genteel  breeding.  It  shows  that  the  poor  man 
has  been  so  unfortunate  in  his  bringing  up  as  not 
to  have  been  taught  good  manners.  He  do  n't  know 
what  is  polite  and  respectful  in  a  worshiping  assem- 
bly among  whom  he  comes  to  mingle,  I  'm  sorry 


284  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

for  the  poor  man.  I  'm  sorry  for  the  family  to 
which  he  belongs.  I  'm  sorry  he  did  not  know  bet- 
ter. I  hope  he  will  never  do  so  again.  But,  how- 
ever, this  was  not  what  I  was  going  to  talk  about." 
Thus  father  Axley  went  on,  for  some  time,  "  boxing 
the  compass,"  hitting  a  number  of  persons  and 
things  that  he  was  not  going  to  talk  about,  and 
hitting  hard,  till  the  attention  and  curiosity  of  the 
audience  were  raised  to  their  highest  pitch,  when 
finally  he  remarked : 

"  ' "  The  thing  of  which  I  was  going  to  talk  was 
chevnng  tobacco.  Now,  I  do  hope,  when  any  gentle- 
man comes  to  church  who  can  't  keep  from  using 
tobacco  during  the  hours  of  worship,  that  he  will 
just  take  his  hat  and  use  it  for  a  spit-box.  You  all 
know  we  are  Methodists.  You  all  know  that  our 
custom  is  to  kneel  when  we  pray.  Now,  any  gen- 
tleman may  see,  in  a  moment,  how  exceedingly 
inconvenient  it  'must  be  for  a  well-dressed  Methodist 
lady  to  be  compelled  to  kneel  down  in  a  puddle  of 
tobacco  spit." 

" '  Now/  said  Judge  White,  '  at  this  time  I  had  in 
my  mouth  an  uncommonly  large  quid  of  tobacco. 
Axley 's  singular  manner  and  train  of  remark  strong- 
ly arrested  my  attention.  While  he  was  stirring  to 
the  right  and  left,  hitting  those  "things"  that  he 
was  not  going  to  talk  about,  my  curiosity  was  busy 
to  find  out  what  he  could  be  aiming  at..  I  was 
chewing  and  spitting  my  large  quid  with  uncommon 
rapidity,  and  looking  up  at  the  preacher  to  catch 


WEST  AND   NOETH-WEST.  285 

every  word  and  every  gesture  —  when  at  last  lie 
pounced  upon  the  tobacco,  behold,  there  I  had  a 
great  puddle  of  tobacco  spit !  I  quietly  slipped  the 
quid  out  of  my  mouth,  and  dashed  it  as  far  as  I 
could  under  the  seats,  resolved  never  again  to  be 
found  chewing  tobacco  in  the  Methodist  church.' 

"Samuel  Hamilton  belonged  to  a  class  distinctly 
marked.  His  position  among  the  itinerant  ranks 
the  reader  will  be  able  to  fix  after  he  shall  have 
read  our  sketch.  He  was  the  youngest  son  of  Wil- 
liam Hamilton,  who  emigrated  from  Western  Vir- 
ginia, in  1806,  and  settled  in  the  wilds  of  Muskin- 
gum.  Having  purchased  his  land,  and  made  every 
preparation  for  settling  upon  it,  he  called  all  the 
members  of  his  household  together,  and,  like  Abram 
in  Mamre,  erected  an  altar,  and  consecrated  his 
family  and  possessions  all  to  God.  This  patriarch, 
with  his  devoted  and  pious  wife,  having  given  them- 
selves and  children  to  God  in  an  everlasting  cove- 
nant, were  encouraged,  by  God's  promise,  to  expect 
that  the  children  of  their  faith,  and  prayer,  and 
godly  example,  would  soon  give  evidence  of  the 
work  of  grace  upon  their  hearts.  At  the  removal 
of  his  father  to  Ohio,  Samuel  was  in  the  fifteenth 
year  of  his  age.  His  mind  was  early  impressed  with 
the  importance  of  religion,  and  his  tears  and  pray- 
ers gave  evidence  that  the  world  and  its  pleasures 
could  not  fill  the  aching  void  in  his  aspiring  soul. 
In  the  year  1812,  when  he  was  in  the  twenty-first 


286  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

year  of  his  age,  he  attended  a  camp  meeting,  held 
on  the  lands  of  Joseph  Thrap,  in  the  bounds  of  Knox 
circuit,  where  he  was  powerfully  awakened  under 
the  ministration  of  God's  Word.  It  was  impossible 
for  him  to  suppress  the  deep  and  overwhelming  con- 
victions of  his  soul,  and  in  agony  he  cried  aloud  for 
mercy.  For  days  and  nights,  in  a  distress  border- 
ing upon  despair,  he  sought  for  pardon.  We  had 
witnessed  his  anguish,  and  the  unavailing  cries  of 
his  heart  for  mercy,  and  all  the  sympathies  of  our 
nature  were  deeply  aroused  in  his  behalf.  We  took 
him  to  the  woods,  and  there,  in  the  solitude  and 
deep  silence  of  the  night,  with  the  curtains  of  dark- 
ness around  us,  we  fell  prostrate  before  God  in 
prayer.  We  arose  upon  our  knees,  and  embraced 
him  in  our  arms,  while,  with  streaming  eyes  and 
faltering  voice,  he  exclaimed,  '  0  Lord,  I  do  be-- 
lieve!  Help  thou  mine  unbelief!'  Then,  in  a  mo- 
ment, quick  as  thought  conveyed  by  lightning,  the 
blessing  of  pardon  came  down,  and  heaven  filled  his 
soul.  Instantly  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  and,  like 
the  man  in  the  ' beautiful  porch/  he  'leaped,  and 
shouted,  and  praised  God'  for  the  delivering  grace 
he  had  obtained  in  that  distressful  hour.  At  this 
time  we  were  traveling  the  circuit  on  which  his 
father  lived,  and  we  had  the  pleasure  of  aiding  the 
young  convert  in  taking  up  his  cross.  He  was 
zealous,  determined,  and  active,  and  the  Church  and 
world  alike  saw  that  God  had  a  work  for  him  to  do. 
He  exercised  his  gifts  in  exhortation,  and  sinners 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  287 

were  awakened  and  converted  through  his  instru- 
mentality. In  the  year  1814,  at  the  Conference 
held  in  Cincinnati,  he  was  admitted  on  trial  as  a 
traveling  preacher.  His  first  field  of  labor  was  the 
Kanawha  circuit.  The' circuits  in  Western  Virginia 
at  that  time  were  called  the  Colleges  of  the  Meth- 
odist Church,  where  the  young  preachers  were  sent 
to  get  their  theological  education,  or,  in  other  words, 
take  their  theological  course.  Sometimes  they  were 
called  'Brush  Colleges;'  at  other  times,  the  fields 
where  the  Conference  broke  its  young  preachers. 
Some  of  the  most  prominent  of  our  Western  preach- 
ers took  their  first  lessons  in  the  itinerancy  upon 
this  field.  Here,  amid  the  dense  forests  and  flowing 
streams,  the  logical  and  metaphysical  Shinn  pored 
over  his  books,  on  horseback,  as  he  traveled  to  dis- 
tant appointments;  and  here,  among  the  craggy 
mountains  and  deep  glens,  the  eloquent  Bascom 
caught  his  sublimest  inspirations.  In  this  wild  re- 
gion the  preachers  had  to  encounter  much  toil  and 
hardship;  and  while  they  lived  on  the  simple  fare 
of  the  country,  consisting  of  hominy,  potatoes,  and 
'mountain  groceries,'  they  were  not  afflicted  with 
those  fashionable  complaints  denominated  dyspepsia 
and  bronchitis.  As  a  specimen  of  the  trials  of 
Methodist  preachers,  we  will  relate  an  incident  that 
occurred  in  the  year  1836.  One  of  the  preachers 
of  the  Ohio  Conference,  having  reached  his  circuit, 
and  finding  no  house  for  his  family,  built  for 
himself  a  shanty  out  of  slabs,  on  the  bank  of  the 


288  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

Gaulley  Eiver.  Having  furnished  his  wife  with  pro- 
visions for  a  month — that  being  the  time  required 
to  perform  his  round — consisting  of  some  corn -meal 
arid  potatoes,  he  started  out  upon  his  circuit.  To 
reach  his  appointments,  which  were  sometimes  thirty 
miles  distant,  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  take  an 
early  start.  One  morning,  after  he  had  progressed 
about  half  round  his  circuit,  he  started  for  an  ap- 
pointment which  lay  on  the  other  side  of  one  of  the 
Gaulley  Mountains.  It  had  rained  through  the  night, 
and  having  frozen,  the  earth  was  covered  with  a 
sheet  of  ice.  The  travel  was  difficult  even  on  level 
ground,  so  slippery  was  the  surface;  and  unless  it 
should  thaw,  the  itinerant  felt  an  apprehension  that 
it  would  be  difficult  to  ascend  the  steep  sides  of 
the  mountain.  Instead  of  thawing,  however,  the 
weather  grew  colder;  but  there  was  no  retreat.- 
His  appointment  was  before  him,  and  the  mountain 
must  be  crossed.  At  length,  after  passing  for  some 
distance  through  a  narrow  valley,  he  came  to  the 
point  where  his  narrow  path  led  up  the  ascent.  It 
was  steep  and  difficult,  and  his  horse  would  fre- 
quently slip  as  he  urged  him  on.  On  the  right  the 
mountain  towered  far  above,  and  on  the  left,  far 
down,  were  deep  and  frightful  precipices;  a  single 
misstep,  and  horse  and  rider  would  be  dashed  to 
pieces  on  the  rocks  below.  After  ascending  about 
two-thirds  of  the  elevation,  he  came  to  a  place  in 
his  mountain  path  steeper  than  any  he  had  passed 
over.  Urging  his  tired  but  spirited  steed,  he  sought 


WEST  AND  NOKTH-WEST.  289 

to  ascend;  but  the  horse  slipped.  Seeing  his  dan- 
ger, the  preacher  threw  himself  off  on  the  upper 
side,  and  the  noble  animal  went  over  the  precipice, 
bounding  from  rock  to  rock,  deep  down  into  the 
chasm  below.  The  preacher  retraced  his  steps,  and 
on  coming  round  to  the  point  where  his  horse  had 
fallen,  he  found  hirn^  dead.  Taking  off  the  saddle, 
bridle,  and  saddle-bags,  he  lashed  them  to  his  back, 
and  resumed  his  journey,  reaching  his  appointment 
in  time  to  preach.  The  balance  of  the  round  was 
performed  on  foot,  and  at  the  expiration  of  four 
weeks  from  the  time  of  starting,  he  joined  his  com- 
panion in  her  cabin,  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  thank- 
ful for  the  providence  which  had  returned  him  safely 
home. 

"  Here  young  Hamilton  studied  theology  and  hu- 
man nature,  in  both  of  which  he  became  well  versed. 
His  preaching  talents  were  peculiar,  and  often  did 
he  make  his  discourses  sparkle  with  wit  and  elo- 
quence. Sometimes  he  would  indulge  in  a  rich  vein 
of  humor,  which,  without  letting  doWn  the  dignity 
of  the  pulpit,  would  send  a  thrill  of  delight  among 
his  audience.  No  one  enjoyed  a  little  pleasantry 
more  than  himself;  and  having  a  peculiar  horror 
for  any  thing  like  a  sour  godliness,  he  may,  at  times, 
have  gone  a  little  too  far  over  to  the  other  extreme. 
He  had  a  quick  perception  of  the  ridiculous,  and 
was  not  very  well  able  to  command  himself  even  in 
the  pulpit  when  any  thing  occurred  to  excite  that 

sense  in  his  mind.     We  recollect  of  his  telling  us 

25 


290  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

of  an  occasion  of  this  kind,  which  occurred  at  a 
meeting  on  the  waters-  of  the  Little  Kanawha.  At 

a  certain  appointment  there  lived  a  Colonel , 

whose  family  were  members  of  the  Church,  and  who 
had  a  respect  for  religion,  though  he  was  too  fond 
of  the  world  to  make  a  profession  thereof.  He  was 
regular  in  his  attendance,  and  on  the  occasion  to 
which  we  have  alluded,  he  was  in  his  seat,  attended 
by  a  neighbor  of  his,  who  was  respectable  enough, 
with  the  exception  that  at  times  he  would  lose  his 
balance  under  the  influence  of  intoxicating  liquor. 
He  had  taken  on  this  occasion  just  enough  to  make 
him  loquacious  without  being  boisterous.  Hamilton, 
after  singing  and  prayer,  arose  and  gave  out  for 
his  text  the  first  Psalm,  which  reads  as  follows : 
'Blessed  is  the  man  that  walketh  not  in  the  coun- 
sel of  the  ungodly,  nor  standeth  in  the  way  of  sin- 
ners, nor  sitteth  in  the  seat  of  the  scorner/  etc. 
He  entered  upon  the  discussion  of  his  subject  by 
showing  what  was  to  be  understood  by  walking  in 
the  counsel  of  the  ungodly ;  and  as  he  entered  upon 
the  description  of  the  ungodly,  and  their  various 
wicked  ways  and  bad  examples,  he  saw  the  friend 
of  the  Colonel  punch  him  in  the  ribs  with  his  elbow, 
and  overheard  him  say,  '  Colonel,  he  means  you^' 
'Be  still,'  said  the  Colonel,  'you  will  disturb  the 
congregation.'  It  was  as  much  as  the  preacher 
could  do  to  control  his  risibles;  but  he  progressed 
with  his  subject ;  and  as  he  described  another  char- 
acteristic of  the  ungodly  in  standing  in  the  way  of 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  291 

sinners,  the  force  of  the  application  was  too  strong 
to  be  resisted,  and  the  Colonel's  friend,  drawing  up 
closely,  elbowed  him  again,  saying,  'He  certainly 
means  you,  Colonel.'  'Be  quiet,  the  preacher  will 
see  you/  whispered  the  annoyed  man,  while  he  re- 
moved as  far  from  him  as  he  could  to  the  other  end 
of  the  seat.  The  preacher  had  arrived  at  the  third 
characteristic  of  the  ungodly;  and  as  he,  in  earnest 
strains,  described  the  scorner's  seat,  the  Colonel's 
friend  turned  and  nodded  his  head  at  him  most  sig- 
nificantly, adding,  in  an  under  tone,  'It's  you,  it's 
you,  Colonel;  you  know  it's  you.'  By  this  time  the 
most  of  the  congregation  were  aware  of  what  was 
going  on,  and  cast  significant  smiles  and  glances  at 
one  another.  Those  who  understood  the  features  of 
the  speaker  could  easily  discover  that  he  was  moving 
along  under  a  heavy  press  of  feeling,  and  unless 
something  should  occur  to  break  the  excitement,  he 
must  yield  to  the  impulses  of  his  nature.  Just  at 
this  crisis  a  little  black  dog  ran  up  the  aisle,  and, 
stopping  directly  in  front  of  the  pulpit,  looked  up  in 
the  preacher's  face,  and  commenced  barking.  The 
scene  was  ludicrous  enough;  but  how  was  it  hight- 
ened  when  the  Colonel's  friend  rose  from  his  seat, 
and  deliberately  marching  up  the  aisle,  he  seized  the 
dog  by  his  neck  and  back,  and  began  to  shake  him, 
exclaiming,  'Tree  the  preacher,  will  you?  tree  the 
preacher,  will  you?'  Thus  he  kept  shaking  and 
repeating  what  we  have  written,  till  he  arrived  at 
the  door,  when,  amid  the  yells  of  the  dog  and  the 


292  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

general  tittering  of  the  audience,  he  threw  him  as 
far  as  he  could  into  the  yard.  This  was  too  much 
for  Hamilton,  and  he  sat  down  in  the  pulpit,  over- 
come with  laughter.  It  would  have  been  impossible 
for  him  to  have  resumed  his  subject,  or  even  to  have 
dismissed  the  congregation.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
preaching  was  done  for  that  day;  and  ever  after, 
when  the  Colonel  went  to  Church,  he  was  careful 
that  his  friend  was  not  by  his  side. 

"  Samuel  Hamilton  was  well  instructed  in  the  doc- 
trines, and  Discipline,  and  peculiarities  of  Methodism, 
and  wherever  he  went  his  labors  were  appreciated, 
and  souls  were  blessed." 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  293 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

"AN  important  Western  character  appeared  in  this 
field  in  1816.  Young  failed  to  reach  the  district  after 
the  General  Conference  of  that  year.  James  B.  Fin- 
ley  came  to  supply  his  place,  and  continued  to  super- 
intend it  till  1819,  with  extraordinary  zeal  and 
success.  Few  men  have  attained  more  distinction  as 
evangelical  pioneers  of  the  West.  He  was,  in  all 
respects,  a  genuine  child  of  the  wilderness — one  of 
its  best  'typical'  men — of  stalwart  frame,  *  features 
rather  coarse, '.but  large,  benevolent  eyes,  'sandy 
hair,  standing  erect,'  a  good,  expressive  mouth,  a 
'voice  like  thunder/  and  a  courage  that  made  riot- 
ous opposers,  whom  he  often  encountered,  quail 
before  him.  He  did  not  hesitate  to  seize  disturbers 
of  his  meetings,  shake  them  in  his  athletic  grasp, 
and  pitch  them  out  of  the  windows  or  doors. 
Withal,  his  heart  was  most  genial,  his  discourses 
full  of  pathos,  and  his  friendships  the  most  tender 
and  lasting.  All  over  the  North- West  he  worked 
mightily,  through  a  long  life,  to  found  and  extend 
his  Church,  traveling  circuits  and  districts,  laboring 
as  missionary  to  the  Indians,  and  chaplain  to  prison- 
ers, and,  in  his  old  age,  making  valuable  historical 
contributions  to  its  literature. 

"Though  born  in  North  Carolina— in  1781— his 


294  EAELY  HISTORY   OF  THE 

childhood  was  spent  in  Kentucky,  where  he  grew  up 
with  all  the  hardy  habits  of  the  pioneer  settlers.  In 
early  manhood  he  and  all  his  father's  family  were 
borne  along  by  the  current  of  emigration  into  the 
North- Western  Territory,  where  he  lived  to  see  his 
State — Ohio — become  a  dominant  part  of  the  Amer- 
ican Union.  He  had  been  a  rough,  reckless,  and 
entirely  irreligious  youth,  associating  with  Indians, 
a  'mighty  hunter'  among  the  'backwoodsmen,'  fond 
of  nearly  every  excess,  and  of  the  most  hazardous 
adventures  with  savage  men  and  beasts.  The  camp 
meetings  of  the  Presbyterians  and  Methodists  in 
Kentucky  had  spread^  about  the  beginning  of  the 
century,  a  vivid  religious  interest  all  over  the  West. 
Finley's  sensitive,  though  rough  nature,  could  not 
escape  it.  He  went  with  some  of  his  associates 
to  Cane  Eidge,  Kentucky,  his  former  home,  to  wit- 
ness one  of  these  great  occasions.  His  own  story 
gives  us  a  striking  view  of  them  in  their  primitive, 
their  rude  Western  grandeur  and  excesses.  'A  scene 
presented  itself,'  he  says, '  to  my  mind,  not  only  novel 
and  unaccountable,  but  awful  beyond  description.  A 
vast  crowd,  supposed  by  some  to  have  amounted  to 
twenty-five  thousand,  was  collected  together.  The 
noise  was  like  the  roar  of  Niagara.  The  sea  of  hu- 
man beings  seemed  to  be  agitated  as  if  by  storm.  I 
counted  seven  ministers,  all  preaching  at  the  same 
time,  some  on  stumps,  others  on  wagons,  and  one, 
William  Burke,  standing  on  a  tree  which,  in  falling, 
had  lodged  against  another.  Some  of  the  people 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  295 

were  singing,  others  praying,  some  crying  for  mercy 
in  the  most  piteous  accents.  While  witnessing  these 
scenes  a  peculiarly  strange  sensation,  such  as  I  had 
never  felt  before,  came  over  me.  My  heart  beat 
tremendously,  my  knees  trembled,  my  lip  quivered, 
and  I  felt  as  though  I  must  fall  to  the  ground.  A 
strange,  supernatural  power  seemed  to  pervade  the 
mass  of  mind  there  collected.  I  became  so  weak 
that  I  found  it  necessary  to  sit  down.  Soon  after, 
I  left  and  went  into  the  Woods,  and  there  strove  to 
rally  and  man  up  my  courage.  After  some  time  I 
returned  to  the  scene  of  excitement,  the  waves  of 
which  had,  if  possible,  risen  still  higher.  The  same 
awfulness  of  feeling  came  over  me.  I  stepped  up  on 
a  log,  where  I  could  have  a  better  view  of  the  surg- 
ing sea  of  humanity.  The  scene  that  then  presented 
itself  to  my  eye  was  indescribable.  At  one  time  I 
saw  at  least  five  hundred  swept  down  in  a  moment, 
as  if  a  battery  of  a  thousand  guns  had  been  opened 
upon  them.  My  hair  rose  up  on  my  head,  my  whole 
frame  trembled,  the  blood  ran  cold  in  my  veins,  and 
I  fled  to  the  woods  a  second  time,  and  wished  that 
I  had  staid  at  home.'  He  went  to  a  neighboring 
tavern,  where,  amid  a  throng  of  drinking  and  fight- 
ing backwoodsmen,  he  swallowed  a  dram  of  brandy, 
but  afterward  felt  worse  than  before;  'as  near  hell/ 
he  says,  'as  I  could  wish  to  be,  in  either  this  world 
or  that  to  come.'  Drawn  irresistibly  back  to  the 
meeting,  he  gazed  again,  appalled,  upon  its  scenes. 
That  night  he  slept  in  a  barn,  a  most  wretched  man. 


296  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

The  next  day  lie  hastily  left  for  his  home,  with  one 
of  his  companions.  They  were  both  too  absorbed  in 
their  reflections  to  converse  as  they  journeyed;  but, 
says  Finley,  'When  we  arrived  at  the  Blue  Lick 
Knobs  I  broke  the  silence  which  reigned  between 
us;  and  said,  "Captain,  if  you  and  I  don't  stop  our 
wickedness  the  devil  will  get  us  both." '  Tears 
gushed  freely  from  the  eyes  of  both.  The  next 
night  was  spent  without  slumber,  at  a  place  called 
May's  Lick.  'As  soon  as  day  broke/  adds  Finley, 
'  I  went  to  the  woods  to  pray,  and  no  sooner  had  my 
knees  touched  the  ground  than  I  cried  aloud  for 
mercy  and  salvation,  and  fell  prostrate.  My  cries 
were  so  loud  that  they  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  neighbors,  many  of  whom  gathered  around  me. 
Among  the  number  was  a  German,  from  Switzer- 
land, who  had  experienced  religion.  He,  under- 
standing fully  my  condition,  had  me  carried  to  his 
house  and  laid  on  a  bed.  The  old  -  Dutch  saint 
directed  me  to  look  right  away  to  the  Savior,  He 
then  kneeled  by  my  bedside,  and  prayed  for  me  most 
fervently  in  Dutch  and  broken  English.  He  rose 
and  sang  in  the  same  manner,  and  continued  singing 
and  praying  alternately  till  nine  o'clock,  when  sud- 
denly my  load  was  gone,  my  guilt  removed,  and 
presently  the  direct  witness  from  heaven  shone  fully 
upon  my  heart.  Then  there  flowed  such  copious 
•streams  of  love  into  the  hitherto  waste  and  desolate 
places  of  my  soul  that  I  thought  I  should  die  with 
excess  of  joy.  So  strangely  did  I  appear  to  all  but 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  297 

the  Dutcli  brother  that  they  thought  me  deranged. 
After  a  time  I  returned  to  my  companion,  and  we 
started  on  our  journey.  0  what  a-  day  it  was  to  my 
soul!'  ..... 

"Astonishing — superhuman,  almost — as  seem  the 
travels  and  labors  of  many  of  the  earlier  itinerants, 
none  of  them  could  have  surpassed  the  adventurous 
energy  of  Nolley,  on  his  Tombigbee  circuit,  among 
the  rudest  settlements  and  Indian  perils.  For  two 
years  he  ranged  over  a  .vast  extent  of  country, 
preaching  continually,  stopping  for  no  obstructions 
of  flood  or  weather.  When  his  horse  could  not  go 
on  he  shouldered  his  saddle-bags  and  pressed  forward 
on  foot.  He  took  special  care  of  the  children,  grow- 
ing up  in  a  half-savage  condition  over  all  the  coun- 
try, and  catechised  and  instructed  them  with  the 
utmost  diligence  as  the  best  means  of  averting  bar- 
barism from  the  settlements.  To  his  successor  on 
the  circuit  he  gave  a  list  of  them  by  name,  solemnly 
charging  him,  'Be  sure  to  look  after  these  children.' 
He  labored  night  and  day,  also,  for  the  evangeliza- 
tion of  the  blacks.  When  Indian  hostilities  pre- 
vailed the  settlers  crowded  into  isolated  forts  and 
stockades.  Nolley  sought  no  shelter,  but  hastened 
from  post  to  post,  instructing  and  comforting  the 
alarmed  Refugees.  He  kept  'the  Gospel  sounding 
abroad  through  all  the  country/  says  our  authority. 
The  people  could  not  but  love  him,  admiring  and 
wondering  at  his  courage,  and  the  very  savages 
seemed  to  hear  a  voice  saying  unto  them,  'Touch 


298  EAELY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

not  mine  anointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm. 
It  was  in  this  wild  country  that  happened  the  fact 
often  cited  as  an  illustration  of  the  energy  of 
the  primitive  Methodist  ministry.  'The  informant, 
Thomas  Clinton/  says  a  Southern  bishop,  'subse- 
quently labored  in  that  region,  and,  though  a  gen- 
eration has  passed,  he  is  not  forgotten  there.  In 
making  the  rounds  of  his  work  Nolley  came  to  a 
fresh  wagon  track.  On  the  search  for  any  thing 
that  had  a  soul,  he  followed  it,  and  came  upon  the 
emigrant  family  just  as  it  had  pitched  on  the  ground 
of  its  future  home.  The  man  was  unlimbering  his 
team,  and  the  wife  was  busy  around  the  fire. 
"What!"  exclaimed  the  settler  upon  hearing  the 
salutation  of  the  visitor,  and  taking  a  glance  at 
his  unmistakable  appearance,  "have  you  found  me 
already  ?  Another  Methodist  preacher !  I  left  Vir- , 
ginia  to  get  out  of  reach  of  them,  went  to  a  new 
settlement  in  Georgia,  and  thought  to  have  a  long 
whet,  but  they  got  my  wife  and  daughter  into  the 
Church;  then,  in  this  late  purchase — Choctaw  Cor- 
ner— I  found  a  piece  of  good  land,  and  was  sure  I 
would  have  some  peace  of  the  preachers,  and  here  is 
one  before  my  wagon  is  unloaded."  Nolley  gave  him 
small  comfort.  "My  friend,  if  you  go  to  heaven 
you  '11  find  Methodist  preachers  there,  and  if  to  hell 
I  am  afraid  you  will  find  some  there;  and  you  see 
how  it  is  in  this  world,  so  you  had  better  make 
terms  with  us,  and  be  at  peace."  '-.'.,'»•  .;•*  -,,*-, 
"Nathan  Bangs  was  at  this  Conference  as  a 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  299 

spectator.  He  had  been  laboring  on  Canada  circuits, 
and  had  hardly  heard  of  -M'Kendree,  whose  fame, 
nevertheless,  now  filled  all  the  West.  Bangs  went, 
on  Sunday,  to  Light-Street  Church,  the  center  of 
interest,  the  cathedral  of  the  occasion  and  of  the 
denomination.  He  says:  'It  was  filled  to  overflow- 
ing. The  second  gallery,  at  one  end  of  the  chapel, 
was  crowded  with  colored  people.  I  saw  the 
preacher  of  the  morning  enter  the  pulpit,  sun- 
burned, and  dressed  in  very  ordinary  clothes,  with 
a  red  flannel  shirt  which  showed  a  large  space  be- 
tween his  vest  and  small-clothes.  He  appeared  more 
like  a  poor  backwoodsman  than  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel.  I  felt  mortified  that  such  a  looking  man 
should  have  been  appointed  to  preach  on  such  an 
imposing  occasion.  In  his  prayer  he  seemed  to  lack 
words,  and  even  stammered.  I  became  uneasy  for 
the  honor  of  the  Conference  and  the  Church.  He 
gave  out  his  text:  "For  the  hurt  of  the  daughter 
of  my  people  am  I  hurt;  I  am  black;  astonishment 
hath  taken  hold  on  me.  Is  there  no  balm  in  Gilead  ? 
is  there  no  physician  there?  why,  then,  is  not  the 
health  of  the  daughter  of  my  people  recovered?" 
As  he  advanced  in  his  discourse  a  mysterious  mag- 
netism seemed  to  emanate  from  him  to  all  parts  of 
the  house.  He  was  absorbed  in  the  interest  of  his 
subject;  his  voice  rose  gradually  till  it  sounded 
like  a  trumpet.  At  a  climactic  passage  the  effect 
was  overwhelming.  It  thrilled  through  the  assem- 
bly like  an  electric  shock;  the  house  rang  with 


300  EAELY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

irrepressible  responses;  many  hearers  fell  prostrate 
to  the  floor.  An  athletic  man  sitting  by  my  side  fell 
as  if  shot  by  a  cannon-ball.  I  felt  my  own  heart 
melting,  and  feared  that  I  should  also  fall  from  my 
seat.  Such  an  astonishing  effect,  so  sudden  and 
overpowering,  I  seldom  or  never  saw  before.' 

"  Bangs  refers  again,  in  his  History  of  the  Church, 
ta  this  sermon,  and  says  he  saw  'a  halo  of  glory 
around  the  preacher's  head.'  M'Kendree's  general 
recognition  as  leader  of  Western  Methodism,  to- 
gether with  his  evident  fitness  for  the  Episcopal 
office,  doubtless  led  to  his  nomination,  but  this  re- 
markable discourse  placed  his  election  beyond  doubt. 
'That  sermon/  said  Asbury,  'will  decide  his  elec- 
tion.' Asbury  had  formerly  favored  Lee's  appoint- 
ment to  the  Episcopate.  M'Kendree  had  become 
endeared  to  him  in  the  conflicts  of  the  "West,  and  he 
now  saw  reason  to  prefer  him  even  to  Lee.  The 
.Church  had  become  rich  in  great  and  eligible  men." 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  301 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

I  HAD  a  mode  of  administering  Discipline  which, 
though  not  in  the  usual  way,  was  in  order,  and  ef- 
fective. Several  years  since,  in  the  first  quarterly 
meeting  of  Clark  county^  it  was  my  lot  to  have  a 
presiding  elder  who  filled  that  important  office  for 
the  first  time.  After  he  had  asked  me  the  regular 
questions,  and  I  had  answered  them,  he  asked  me 
what  was  my  method  of  admitting  probationers  into 
full  membership  at  the  expiration  of  six  months; 
also,  if  I  admitted  seekers  of  religion  after  they  had 
given  satisfactory  evidence  that  they  desired  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come  and  be  saved  from  their 
sins,  upon  the  recommendation  of  their  class-leader, 
after  having  met  with  the  class  six  months.  I  said 
that  I  admitted  all  such  into  full  membership.  Said 
he,  "You  are  not  Methodistical  in  that  particular; 
for  none  ought  to  be  admitted  before  they  profess 
religion."  "  Well,"  said  I,  "  before  I  can  change 
my  practice  I  must  have  higher  authority."  He 
replied,  "I  shall  have  an  Episcopal  decision  next 
Conference."  It  seems  that  some  reporter  had  un- 
derstood Bishop  Hamline  to  say  that  professors  of 
religion  alone  were  to  be  admitted  into  full  member- 
ship, and  it  was  published  in  the  Christian  Advo- 
cate. 


302  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

The  Bishop  discovered  and  corrected  it  as  follows : 

"  CORRECTION. 

"  NEW  YORK,  June  4, 1847. 

"  REV.  MESSRS.  BOND  &  COLES — Dear  Brethren, — • 
One  thought  in  the  address  reported  in  the  Advo- 
cate was  so  inaptly  set  forth  by  me  that  it  was  mis- 
understood; and  as  it  bears  on  the  Discipline,  it 
were  better  to  notice  it.  The  fifth  paragraph,  in- 
stead of  reading,  'Our  xules  require  members/ 
etc.,  should  have  expressed  the  following  sentiment: 

"  '  Our  rules  do  not  require  that  persons  received 
into  our  Church  profess  conversion,  and  in  more 
than  half  our  bounds  they  are  often  received  with- 
out conversion.  Possibly  there  may  be  fifty  thou- 
sand such,  marked  "  S."  on  our  class-books,  as  "  seek- 
ers;" and  in  harmony,  too,  with  our  Discipline,  which 
makes  "  a  desire  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and 
be  saved  from  sin,"  duly  "  manifested  "  the  only  con- 
dition. But  is  there  nothing  in  the  Discipline  to  be 
set  off  against  these  terms  of  membership  ?  The  class 
is  one  thing.  Here  the  catechumens  mingle  with 
the  more  mature  in  grace,  enjoy  their  .prayers,  and 
from  them,  with  God's  blessing,  learn  the  way.  But 
we  can  not  safely  receive  and  retain  members  who 
refuse  to  visit  the  class-room.  If  they  become  in- 
curably neglectful,  let  their  names,  by  due  forms,  be 
taken  from  the  class  and  Church  records.  I  sol- 
emnly believe  that  if  this  plan/  etc.,  as  reported. 

"  I  do  not  know  that  I  used  these  words,  but  such 
is  the  sentiment  I  aimed  to  express.  The  error  is 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  303 

not  at  all  surprising,  as  the  remarks  were  strictly 
extempore,  and  no  doubt  wanting  in  precision,  as 
hastily  uttered  thoughts  often  are. 

"  Eespectfully  yours,        L.  L.  HAMLINE." 

At  the  next  quarterly  meeting  I  asked  the  elder 
if  he  was  still  of  the  same  opinion  respecting  the 
reception  of  seekers  into  the  Church.  "Yes,"  said 
he;  and  then  very  confidently  quoted  Bishop  Ham- 
line's  views,  as  published  in  the  Christian  Advocate. 
I  then  handed  him  the  correction.  He  read  it 
over  twice ;  and  I  then  requested  him  to  read  it  to 
the  members  of  the  quarterly  conference,  which  he 
refused  to  do.  This  was  the  last  I  heard,  however, 
of  an  Episcopal  decision,  on  receiving  seekers  into 
full  membership. 

In  1844,  when  I  traveled  Milford  circuit,  John 
Hunter  was  my  colleague.  It  was  his  first  year. 
He  was  a  young  man  of  great  promise,  and,  al- 
though his  attainments  were  limited,  had  more  than 
ordinary  ability.  Luke  Hitchcock  was  my  presiding 
elder.  This  year  was  the  first  and  only  time  that 
any  thing  like  a  charge  ever  came  up  against  me  at 
Conference.  This  charge  was  for  maladministration. 

Brother  M.  had  been  on  trial  for  several  years, 
and  he  wished  to  be  admitted  into  full  membership, 
and  if  not  found  worthy,  that  he  might  be  dropped 
out  of  probation.  As  there  were  some  members 
who  were  bitterly  opposed  to  his  admission,  on  ac- 
count of  some  reports  not  favorable  to  him  having 


304  EARLY  HISTORY   OF   THE 

been  circulated,  in  order  to  decide  the  matter  satis- 
factorily to  all  parties,  I  gave  M.  the  privilege, 
which  he  wished,  of  answering  to  all  the  charges 
or  complaints  which  were  afloat  concerning  him, 
before  a  number  of  male  members  of  the  Church. 
This  was  more  than  the  Discipline  required,  yet  I 
wished  to  give  all  a  fair  chance.  I  thought  it  the 
most  satisfactory  course  to  pursue,  and  when  he  was 
permitted  to  answer  for  himself,  the  committee  de- 
cided that  nothing  worthy  of  ".death  or  of  bonds" 
could  be  found  against  him.  He  came  up  the  next 
day  for  admission.  The  class-leader  and  nearly  all 
of  the  class  were  present,  and  I  then  said :  "If  any 
one  has  any  objections  to  this  brother,  let  him  speak 
now,  or  let  him  hereafter  hold  his  peace."  There 
being  no  objections  raised,  I  then  received  him  into 
full  membership.  One  of  our  preachers,  hearing  of 
the  matter,  objected  to  the  manner  in  which  I  put 
the  question.  He  said  that  I  should  have  asked  the 
class-leader  if  he  could  recommend  him,  and  made 
out  a  charge  against  me.  When  the  Bishop  asked 
Hitchcock,  my  presiding  elder,  if  there  was  any 
charge  against  me,  he  said :  "  There  is  nothing 
against  brother  Beggs."  "Yes,"  said  the  preacher, 
"  there  is  a  charge  of  maladministration."  The 
Bishop  asked  the  elder  again:  "  Is  there  any  thing 
against  brother  Beggs?"  and  he  again  replied: 
"  There  is  nothing."  Said  the  Bishop :  "  Pass  his 
character."  And  here  ended  the  charge  of  mal- 
administration. 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  305 

I  give  a  sketch  of  the  life  of  the  Rev.  John  Sin- 
clair, to  whom  reference  has  been  frequently  made 
in  this  vofiime.  He  was  born  in  Virginia.  At  the 
age  of  five  years  he  came  with  his  father  into  East 
Tennessee,  and  there,  in  the  midst  of  privations  and 
many  hinderances  to  intellectual  training,  he  remained 
during  his  boyhood.  The  opportunity  for  attending 
school  was  limited;  the  qualifications  of  teachers 
were  very  inferior.  Brother  Sinclair  used  to  relate 
that  his  first  teacher  in  East  Tennessee  was  a  Mr. 
Rowe,  who  could  read  and  write  a  little.  He  taught 
us  to  pronounce  the  vowels  as  follows :  A  was  able- 
some,  fa;  E  was  eblesome,  fe;  I  was  iblesome,  fi; 
0,  oblesome,  fo;  U,  ublesome,  fu;  Y,  yblesome,  fy; 
&  was  called  ampersand;  and  Z  was  called  izzard, 
or  zed.  Rowe  knew  nothing  about  figures.  In 
spelling  Aaron,  it  was,  Great  A,  wee  a,  r-o-n.  The 
few  advantages,  however,  that  he  possessed  in  rela- 
tion to  acquisition  of  letters  in  the  schools,  he  la- 
bored to  improve  under  very  trying  and  peculiar 
circumstances.  He  states  in  relation  to  himself, 
that  by  reading  by  fire-light,  he  was  enabled  to  re- 
tain what  little  learning  he  had,  and  made  some  ad- 
vancement. He  remarked  that  he  had  heard  it  said 
that  "A  little  learning  is  a  dangerous  thing,"  but 
te  had  never  had  enough  to  expose  him  to  that 
danger. 

At  the  age  of  twenty,  with  his  father  and  family, 
he  removed  to  Kentucky,  and  on  .the  19th  of  Feb- 
ruary, in  1819,  he  was  married  to  Lydia  Short,  who 
26 


306  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

is  now  his  bereaved  widow.  It  was  about  one  year 
after  this  when  God  forgave  his  sins,  and  renewed 
his  heart  in  so  gracious  and  powerful  a  manner,  that 
he  could  never  doubt  the  change  that  was  wrought. 
Shortly  after  his  conversion  he  was  made  a  class- 
leader,  and  soon  the  impression  was  made  upon  his 
mind  that  he  ought  to  preach  the  Gospel.  This  im- 
pression seems  to  have  at  first  found  no  response  in 
his  companion.  Many  now  dread  the  trials  of  an 
itinerant  life;  many  still  look  upon  it  as  connected 
with  privations  that  they  could  not  endure,  but, 
compared  with  what  then  must  have  been  presented 
to  any  one  that  would  dare  look  into  the  future  be- 
fore engaging  in  such  a  work,  it  must  now  be  an 
easy  task.  How  she  felt  as  to  any  particular  trial  I 
do  not  know.  We  learn,  however,  from  a  little 
scrap  that  he  has  left,  probably  written  in  1855, 
that  one  night,  when  he  supposed  that  all  were 
asleep,  and  that  no  one  on  earth  knew  any  thing  of 
his  anxiety,  when  struggling  in  relation  to  his  duty, 
he  heard  a  voice,  of  which  he  says,  "  It  was  not  the 
voice  of  God — it  was  not  the  voice  of  an  angel,  but 
it  was  the  voice  of  my  wife,  saying,  'Go,  and  do  all 
the  good  you  can.'"  This  was  in  September,  1825, 
and  some  time  between  the  15th  and  20th  of  that 
month  he  was  admitted  'on  trial  in  the  Kentucky 
Conference.  In  1831,  however,  having  for  some 
time  felt  that  the  existence  of  slavery  in  the  State 
of  Kentucky  was  a  serious  thing,  and  dreading  its 
consequences  upon  after  generations — and  this  was 


WEST  AND  NORTH-WEST.  307 

the  feeling  generally  of  Methodist  ministers  at  that 
time — he  resolved  to  take  a  transfer  to  the  Illinois 
Conference.  He  came,  and  was  appointed  to  the 
Jacksonville  circuit.  Here  his  labors  in  this  State 
commenced.  They  continued  till,  perhaps,  1836, 
when  they  were  slightly  interrupted,  and  he  sus- 
tained a  supernumerary  relation,  and  took  work  in 
Peoria.  It  was  probably  in  1846  that  for  one  year 
he  was  returned  upon  the  Minutes  as  superannuated. 
"With  the  exception  of  these  brief  interruptions,  till 
here  he  took  the  superannuated  relation,  each  year, 
from  the  time  he  came — 1831 — he  continued  to  per- 
form "effective  labor,"  and  I  will  add  that  it  was 
also  efficient  labor — labor  that  told  favorably  upon 
the  Church  in  building  it  up  in  holiness,  extending 
its  borders,  and  multiplying  its  numbers.  I  discover 
from  the  Minutes,  that  when,  in  1833,  he  was 
placed  upon  the  Chicago  district,  that  while  it  em- 
braced what  now  is  the  city  of  Chicago,  it  also  took 
in  Galena  on  the  west,  and  Peoria  on  the  south ! 
Think  of  such  a  district  as  that ! — traveling  around 
it ! — what  is  now  two  Annual  Conferences !  To  this 
field  of  labor  he  went,  leaving  an  afflicted  wife  in 
the  wilds  of  Fox  Eiver.  But  privations  could  not 
deter  him.  It  was  frontier  work,  a  sparse  popula- 
tion, neighborhoods  remote  from  each  other,  roads 
without  bridges,  and  vast  plains  without  a  stake  or 
mark  to  direct  his  course,  except  the  points  of  tim- 
ber, miles  apart;  but  he  undertook  and  did  accom- 
plish the  work  of  superintending  such  a  district. 


308  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

The  next  year  lie  was  returned  to  the  same  district, 
with  a  little  change.  Galena  was  taken  off  on  the 
west,  but  it  still  extended  from  Chicago  to  the  San- 
gamon  Eiver  on  the  south,  including  all  the  region 
of  country  intervening,  or  Peoria,  Bloomington,  and 
all  the  settlements  in  that  extent.  This  will  give 
you  some  idea  of  his  toils  and  conflicts.  I  am  sorry 
that  I  can  not  give  the  details  of  his  labors  on  this 
extended  district.  In  1835  he  was  removed  from 
the  Chicago  district.  It  was  a  painful  occurrence  to 
him,  of  which  he  thought  and  spoke  to  his  own  per- 
sonal friends;  and  though  he  felt  there  was  some 
mistake,  still  he  harbored  no  resentment,  and  spoke 
of  it  as  a  man  of  God.  He  was  placed  upon  the 
Sangamon  district.  I  was  then  in  charge  of  the 
church  at  Springfield.  Owing  to  his  financial  con- 
dition, his  poor  health  and  that  of  Mrs.  Sinclair,  it 
was  quite  inconvenient,  if  not  almost  impossible  for 
him  to  remove  his  family.  They  had  been  some 
years  on  Fox  Eiver,  five  or  six  miles  above  the  city 
of  Ottawa.  He  came  to  one  quarterly  meeting;  he 
became  sick,  and  nearly  five  weeks  elapsed  before 
he  was  able  to  leave.  During  this  time,  when  I  sat 
by  his  bedside,  laid  my  hand  upon  his  forehead 
scorching  with  fever,  I  have  heard  him  talk  of  his 
invalid  wife  at  home,  and  tears  would  wet  his  pil- 
low. Yet  amidst  all  the  trials  of  such  occurrences 
I  never  heard  him  complain.  I  never  heard  him  wish 
he  had  not  entered  the  work;  I  never  heard  him 
mention  a  word  of  retreat;  no — it  was  " Onward!" 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  309 

and  as  soon  as  he  was  able  to  sit  alone  he  was  de- 
sirous of  reaching  his  home,  and  by  the  aid  of 
friends  soon  set  out  to  accomplish  that  object. 

For  several  years  before  his  death  he  was  a  resi- 
dent of  Evanston — for  two  years  as  pastor — and 
after  that  till  his  death  as  a  superannuate.  Up  to 
the  time  that  he  entered  upon  this  pastoral  charge, 
I  had  never  found  a  man  who  cared  for  consistent 
practical  piety  that  did  not  love  John  Sinclair. 
Men  were  so  universally  impressed  with  the  honesty 
of  this  minister  and  his  Christian  fidelity,  that  when, 
through  the  common  infirmities  and  weaknesses  of 
our  nature,  he  erred,  for  I  do  not  pretend  to  say  he 
did  not  err — that  he  was  not  fallible — none  charged 
him  with  evil  motives.  "  It  was  a  mistake — it  was 
not  intended."  He  was  emphatically,  in  the  judg- 
ment of  men,  as  the  apostle  warned  the  Church  to 
be,  "  without  offense,  blameless,  harmless — a  son  of 
God  without  rebuke." 

When  he  was  tried,  God  took  him  to  receive  his 
crown.  Long  was  it  his  wish  that  he  might  not 
linger  when  called  to  pass  away,  and  if  he  did,  he 
earnestly  hoped  that  it  might  be  under  circumstances 
where  he  could  care  for  himself  without  troubling — 
as  he  was  w^ont  to  express  it — his  friends.  God 
favored  him  in  this  matter !  After  all  his  wander- 
ings to  and  fro  amidst  the  pelting  storms  and  the 
dreary  wastes ;  after  his  going  out  and  his  coming  in 
from  an  afflicted  family  for  so  many  years;  after  all 
his  privations,  what  a  pleasing  thought  to  have  him 


310  EARLY  HISTORY   OF  THE 

die  at  home!  Doubtless  he  desired  to  die  without 
lingering ;  but,  sudden  as  was  his  death,  he  was  not 
unprepared.  But  a  short  time  since  he  said  to  his 
family  and  friends,  and  especially  his  wife,  "  Do  n't 
weep  for  me  when  I  go  away."  What  an  idea  was 
that  of  death!  "Do  n't  weep  for  me  when  I  GO 
AWAY  !"  We  think  about  it  as  death.  He  did  not 
see  it.  He  looked  on  the  shore  of  immortality.  To 
him  it  was  going  away;  it  was  falling  asleep.  Jesus 
said,  "He  that  keepeth  my  saying  shall  not  see 
death."  "Do  n't,"  said  he,  "put  on  mourning;  it 
seems  to  me  that  it  is  very  improper  to  mourn  for 
a  minister  who  has  gone  to  so  good  a  place  as 
heaven!"  This  was  his  dying  request.  Death 
found  him  ready,  no  doubt.  All  the  time  he  was 
ready. 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  311 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE  first  session  of  the  Eock  Eiver  Conference 
was  held  on  the  camp-ground  near  the  Seminary. 
There  were  sixty-four  large  regular  tents,  besides 
many  small  temporary  ones.  We  had  heavy  rains 
at  the  beginning  of  the  meeting,  but  no  one  seemed 
inclined  to  leave  the  ground  on  account  of  it,  and 
so  graciously  were  they  preserved  that  no  case  of 
sickness  originated  on  the  ground,  and  those  who 
were  sick  recovered  in  the  course  of  the  meeting. 
The  congregations  were  large,  and  very  attentive, 
and  many  were  brought  from  darkness  to  light,  and 
from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God.  It  was  esti- 
mated that  about  four  thousand  persons  were  pres- 
ent on  the  Sabbath,  who  listened  with  eagerness  to 
the  sermon  preached  by  the  bishop.  It  is  worthy 
of  note  that  no  guard  was  necessary,  and  that  no 
disturbance  took  place  during  the  meeting.  The 
closing  exercises  of  the  Conference,  which  were  de- 
livered in  the  presence  of  the  congregation,  were 
short,  but  deeply  impressive.  An  address  was  deliv- 
ered by  the  superintendent,  and  the  appointments 
read  off.  Our  Conference  room  was  an  inclosure  of 
twenty  feet  square,  which  consisted  of  logs  hastily 
thrown  up.  The  large  cracks  between  the  logs  were 
badly  chinked,  and  the  earth  was  strewn  with  straw 


312  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

as  a  floor  or  carpeting.  A  large  canvas  tent  was 
erected  and  filled  with  beds  for  the  accommodation 
of  the  preachers  who  boarded  with  the  tent-holders. 
Bishop  Waugh,  who  was  President  of  the  Confer- 
ence, took  up  his  lodging  with  a  private  family. 
There  had  already  been  held  three  Conferences  in 
this  State  where  the  preachers  were  accommodated 
in  the  same  manner — the  two  first  at  Shiloh,  and  the 
last  at  Padfield's — and  another,  also,  in  Missouri. 
The  minutes  of  this  Conference  are  very  imperfect, 
in  consequence  of  the  reports  which  have  been  mis- 
laid, such  as  the  report  of  the  stewards,  and,  also, 
those  of  the  missionary,  centenary,  and  temperance 
questions. 

Among  those  who  were  admitted  on  trial  were  P. 
Eichardson,  C.  N.  Wagar,  H.  Hubbard,  N.  Swift, 
W.  B.  Cooley,  S.  Wood,  A.  White,  M.  J.  Shinn,  D. 
Worthington,  H.  Whitehead,  James  Ash,  E.  A. 
Blanchard,  A.  M.  Early,  E.  P.  Wood,  C.  Campbell, 
P.  Judson,  H.  P.  Chase,  H.  Hadley.  Those  who 
remained  on  trial  were  S.  Spater,  A.  Haddleston, 
George  Copway — an  Indian — William  Vallette,  John 
Johnson,  J.  W.  Whipple,  0.  H.  Walker,  J.  0. 
Whiteford.  Those  who  were  admitted  into  full  con- 
nection were  J.  L.  Bennett,  N.  Jewett,  J.  Hodges, 
J.  M.  Snow,  E.  Brown,  H.  J.  Brace,  M.  M'Murtry, 
D.  King,  S.  Bolles — all  of  whom  were  ordained  this 
year,  besides  others — Jesse  Halstead  and  Joseph  L. 
Kirkpatrick — who  were  not  ordained.  The  dea- 
cons were  H.  W.  Frink,  William  Simpson,  T.  M. 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  313 

Kirkpatrick,  M.  Bourne,  William  G-addis,  B.  H.  Cart- 
wright.  Those  elected  and  ordained  elders  were  J. 
Crummer,  J.  Pillsberry,  J.  J.  Stewart,  E.  Springer, 
J.  Halstead,  J.  L.  Kirkpatrick.  Located — F.  0. 
Chenoweth.  Supernumerary  preachers — none.  Su- 
perannuated, or  worn-out  preachers — A.  Brunson, 
Robert  Delap,  T.  Pope.  None  were  expelled  from 
the  connection.  None  had  withdrawn. 

The  eleventh  question,  "Were  all  the  preachers' 
characters  examined?"  was  strictly  attended  to  by 
calling  over  their  names  before  the  Conference. 
None  had  died  this  year.  Total  number  of  mem- 
bers, 6,154. 

The  fourteenth  question,  "What  amounts  are 
necessary  for  the  superannuated  preachers,  the  wid- 
ows and.  orphans  of  preachers,  and  to  make  up  the 
deficiencies  of  those  who  have  not  obtained  the  reg- 
ular allowance  on  the  circuits?"  was  not  answered. 

Question  15th— "What  has  been  collected  on  the 
foregoing  accounts,  and  how  has  it  been  applied?" 
Stewards'  report,  not  found  among  Conference  papers. 

Question  16th — "What  has  been  contributed  for 
the  support  of  missions,  what  for  the  publication  of 
Bibles,  tracts,  and  Sunday  school  books?"  Not 
answered. 

Question  17th — "Where  are  the  preachers  sta- 
tioned this  year?" 

CHICAGO  DISTRICT,  J.  T.  Mitchell,  P.  JE. — Chicago, 
to  be  supplied,  H.  Crews,  William  Gaddis.  Wheeling, 

J.  Nason,  one  to  be  supplied.     Elgin,  Sims  Bolles.* 

27 


314  EARLY   HISTORY   OF   THE 

Crystalvilie,  0.  H.  Walker.  Eoscoe  and  Belvidere, 
M.  Bourne.  Eockford,  S.  H.  Stocking.*  Sycamore, 
L.  S.  Walker,*  K  Swift.  Dupage,  William  Kimball.* 
Napierville,  C.  Lamb.* 

OTTOWA  DISTRICT,  J.  /Sinclair,  P.  E. — Ottowa, 
Jesse  L.  Bennett.  Milford,  E.  Springer.  Wilming- 
ton, E.  Lunnery.  Joliet,  W.  Weigley.*  Lockport, 
W.  Bachelor.*  Indian-Creek,  A.  White.  Princeton, 
J.  M.  Snow.  Bristol,  H.  Hadley. 

MT.  MORRIS  DISTRICT,  John  dark,  P.  E.,  and 
A.  M'Murtry,  Superintendent. — Buffalo  Grove,  E. 
H.  Blanchard.*  Dixon,  L.  Hitchcock.*  Portland, 
William  Vallette.*  Stephenson,  C.  K  Wager.  Sa- 
vannah, P.  Judson.*  Galena,  J.  W.  Whipple.  Apple 
Eiver,  E.  P.  Wood.*  Freeport,  S.  Pillsberry.* 

T.  T.  Hitt,  agent  for  Eock  Eiver  Seminary.  Dr. 
Hitchcock,  a  member  of  the  Oneida  Conference, 
located  and  came  among  us  this  year.  He  was  a 
supply  at  Dixon  till  February,  1841,  and  then  he 
was  elected  agent  of  the  Mt.  Morris  Seminary,  and 
E.  A.  Blanchard  supplied  Dixon  the  remainder  of 
the  year. 

BURLINGTON  DISTRICT,  A.  Sommers*  P.  E. — Bur- 
lington, J.  J.  Stewart.*  Mt.  Pleasant,  T.  M.  Kirk- 
patrick.*  Eichland  mission,  M.  F.  Shinn.  Fox 
Eiver  mission,  to  be  supplied.  Philadelphia,  Joel 
Arrington.  Fort  Madison,  Moses  H.  M'Murtry, 
William  B.  Cooley.  Bloomington,  Nathan  Jewett.* 
Crawfordsville,  Joseph  L.  Kirkpatrick.* 

IOWA  DISTRICT,  Bartholomew  Weed,  P.  E. — Iowa 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  315 

mission,  Garrett  G.  Worthington.*  Bockingham, 
Chester  Campbell.*  Camanche,  Barton  H.  Cart- 
wright.*  Marion,  John  Hodges.*  Bellview,  Phi- 
lander S.  Eichardson.  Clarksville,  Henry  Hubbard. 
Dubuque,  Washington  Wilcox. 

INDIAN  MISSION,  Benjamin  T.  Kavanaugh,  Su- 
perintendent.— St.  Peter's  and  Sioux  mission,  one  to 
be  supplied,  David  King.  Chippewa  mission,  Henry 
J.  Brace,  George  Copway,  Henry  P.  Chase,  Allen 
Huddleston,  John  Johnson.  Sandy  Lake,  Samuel 
Spates. 

PLATTEVILLE  DISTRICT,  William  H.  Heed*  P.  E. — 
Platteville,  to  be  supplied.  Lancaster  and  Prairie  du 
Chien,  William  Simpson,  Alfred  M.  Early.*  Mineral 
Point  and  Wiota,  James  G.  Whitford,  one  to  be  sup- 
plied. Monroe,  James  Ash.  Madison,  to  be  supplied. 
Fort  Winnebago,  Stephen  P.  Keys.*  Fon  du  Lac, 
Jesse  Halstead.  Green  Bay,  to  be  supplied.  Onefda, 
Henry  E.  Coleman. 

MILWAUKEE  DISTRICT,  Julius  Field*  P.  E. — 
Milwaukee,  John  Crummer.*  Eacine,  Leonard  F. 
Malthrop.*  Eoot  Eiver,  Henry  Whitehead.*  South- 
port  mission,  Solomon  Stebbins.*  Burlington  and 
Eochester,  D.  Worthington.  Troy,  James  M'Kean. 
Watertown,  Sidney  Wood.  Summit,  Hiram  W. 
Frink.* 

Austin  F.  Eogers,  transferred  to  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference. 

The  next  Conference  was  held  at  Platteville,  Au- 
gust 25,  1841 


316  EARLY   HISTORY  OF  THE 

Those  whose  names  are  marked  with  a  star  are 
yet  living.  There  were  three  Indians  laboring  as 
preachers  among  us — George  Copway,  H.  P.  Chase, 
and  John  Johnson. 

Our  Conference  district  then  embraced  Iowa,  Wis- 
consin, and  Minnesota,  besides  our  own,  the  Eock 
River  Conference.  At  that  time  there  were  71  min- 
isters stationed,  and  now  we  have  781.  Its  mem- 
bership then  was  6,154,  now  79,405.  What  was 
then  embraced  in  one  Conference  now  is  ground 
enough  for  eight.  In  the  place  of  six  churches,  we 
now,  in  seventeen  years,  have  increased  to  801. 

INCREASE  UP  TO  1867. 

CONFERENCES.  Members.      Preachers.     Diet.     Churches.  Value. 

Iowa 17,234  96  7  150  $251,975 

Upper  Iowa 14,540  97  7  106  322,700 

Minnesota 7,193  75  7  59  174,800 

Wisconsin 10,712  130  5  132  427,050 

Rock  River 18,859  171  6  180  1,447,100 

Des  Homes 11,159  85  6  63  154,905 

West  Wisconsin 6,932  79  5  86  161,650 

Forth-West  Wisconsin....  2,796  48  3  25  54,700 


Total 89,425        781        46        801        $2,994,880 


WEST  AND   NOETH-WEST.  317 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE  most  remarkable  and  striking  feature  distin- 
guishing Illinois  from  the  other  States  consists  in 
her  extensive  prairies,  covered  with  a  luxuriant 
growth  of  grass,  and  forming  excellent  natural 
meadows,  from  which  circumstance  they  received 
their  present  name,  from  the  early  French  settlers. 
They  extend  from  the  western  part  of  Indiana  more 
or  less  to  the  foot  of  the  Kocky  Mountains.  Illinois 
is  properly  called  the  Prairie  State;  as  it  is,  gen- 
erally speaking,  one  vast  prairie,  intersected  by 
strips  of  woods,  chiefly  confined  to  the  banks  and 
the  valleys  of  the  rivers.  Their  soil  is  from  one  to 
three  feet  deep;  while  nearly  all  of  them  possess  an 
inexhaustible  fertility,  and  but  few  are  sterile.  The 
eye  sometimes  surveys  the  green  prairie  without 
discovering,  on  the  illimitable  plain,  -a  tree,  bush, 
or  other  object  save  a  wilderness  of  grass  and 
flowers.  The  charms  of  a  prairie  consist  in  its  ex- 
tension, its  green,  flowery  carpet,  its  undulating 
surface,  and  the  skirts  of  forests  whereby  it  is  sur- 
rounded. The  congenial  rays  of  the  sun  soon  ripen 
the  plentiful  harvest ;  and  in  Autumn  the  yellow  har- 
vest is  gathered  into  the  well-filled  garner.  Soon 
the  green-carpeted  prairie  is  changed  to  deep  yellow, 
as  Indian  Summer  dries  up  the  grass,  and  then 


318  EAELY   HISTOEY   OF  THE 

comes  .on  the  preparation  against  the  flood  of  fire 
that  sweeps  over  the  broad  surface.  Of  this  I  wish 
to  give  an  idea,  as  I  have  seen  it;  run  from  it,  and 
fought  it  till  I  could  hardly  stand,  covered  with 
sweat  and  dirt,  and  my  eyes  almost  sightless  amid 
the  black  clouds  of  smoke,  to  save  the  scanty  crop 
of  the  settler's  first  year's  toil,  and  the  little  cabin 
that  I  had  preached  in,  in  the  morning  of  the  same 
day.  I  will  relate  an  incident  that  took  place  in  the 
Missouri  Bottom,  above  Boonville.  A  few  families 
had  settled  on  a  very  rich,  broad  bottom  of  prairie. 
The  grass  was  as  high  as  my  head  when  on  my 
horse,  and  so  thick  that  it  was  with  the  utmost 
difficulty  that  I  could  ride  through  it.  There  was 
a  heavy  body  of  timber  west  of  the  settlers,  and  the 
fire  had  not  passed  through  it  for  several  years; 
and,  of  course,  a  great  body  of  combustible  vegeta- 
ble matter  had  accumulated  upon  the  ground,  to 
which  the  last  Summer's  growth  had  added  greatly. 
One  family  had  moved  into  a  small  house  about 
midway  in  the  prairie.  One  warm,  dry,  windy  day, 
one  of  the  girls  had  started  to  a  neighbor's  house, 
about  two  miles,  on  the  bluff,  and  having  proceeded 
about  half  way,  she  heard  a  roaring  as  of  a  mighty 
tempest;  and  looking  west  toward  the  timber,  she 
saw  the  flickering  blaze  kindled  into  a  fierce  torrent 
of  flames,  which  curled  up  and  leaped  along  with  re- 
sistless force.  The  air  was  filled  with  clouds  of 
crimson  smoke,  while  the  crashing  sounds,  like  roar- 
ing cataracts,  were  almost  deafening;  danger  and 


WESO>  AND  NOBTH-WEST.  319 

death  filled  the  air,  and  seemed  to  scream  for  vic- 
tims. At  such  a  fearful  crisis,  .one  becomes  irreso- 
lute, and  almost  unable :  to  withdraw  or  seek  refuge. 
As  there  was  not  a  moment  to  lose,  the  girl  fled 
back  to  the  old  domicile.  The  family  had  thrown 
all  the  household  goods  into  one  pile,  and  covered 
them  as  best  they  could,  closing  the  door  and  win- 
dow. The  fire  hastened  in  its  devouring  march,  till 
its  far-reaching  flames  enveloped  the  house,  the  in- 
mates being  almost  stifled  with 'heat  and  smoke.  It 
lasted,  however,  but  for  a  few  moments.  The  green, 
brown  carpet  had  been  consumed,  and  black  destruc- 
tion sickened  the  heart.  The  inmates  threw  open 
the  door,  by  which  time  the  fire  had  began  to  blaze 
up  through  the  cracks  of  the  floor.  They  gathered 
up  all  the  articles  that  they  could,  and  threw  them 
out  into  the  yard,  where  the  flames  had  consumed 
every  thing,  and  having  a  well  of  water,  saved  most 
of  their  household  goods;  but  the  old  house  was 
soon  in  ashes,  and  the  inmates  left  to  do  as  best 
they  might.  Some  perished  in  these  terrific  fires  in 
an  early  day.  It  is  said  that  two  betrothed  lovers 
perished  on  the  banks  of  the  Kankakee,  their  crisped 
forms  being  found  near  that  of  their  horse  the  next 
day,  by  a  hunter.  The  river  flowed  along  to  lee- 
ward of  them,  but  the  flames  had  outstripped  their 
fleet  charger,  upon  which  both  were  riding,  before 
they  could  reach  the  stream.  Why  did  they  not 
have  the  presence  of  mind  to  set  a  "  back  fire  "  or 
take  refuge  on  the  burned  space? 


320  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Illinois  seems  destined,  in  a  short  time,  to  play  a 
great  part  in  the  United  States,  being  entitled  to 
this  not  only  by  the  vastness  of  its  area — three 
hundred  and  seventy-eight  miles  from  Cairo  to  Wis- 
consin, from  south  to  north,  and  its  greatest  breadth, 
two  hundred  and  twelve  miles — but,  also,  by  the 
fertility  of  its  easily  cultivated  soil,  the  multitude 
of  its  rivers,  railroads,  canals,  coal-beds,  and  its 
beautiful  and  abundant  stone  quarries,  its  water 
powers,  and  the  rapid  increase  of  its  population,  at 
once  enterprising  and  intelligent.  May  our  moral 
zeal  increase,  and  our  victories  multiply  in  behalf 
of  all  that  is  good,  till  God  shall  "  make  us  an  hund- 
red times  so  many  more  as  we  be!" 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  321 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE  first  newspaper  printed  in'  Missouri  was  at; 
St.  Louis,  in  1808,  by  Joseph  Charles,  It  was  first 
called  the  Louisiana  Gazette,  then  •  the  Missouri 
Gazette;  and  in  1832,  going  into  the  possession  of 
other  parties,  it  took  the  name  of  Missouri  Repub- 
lican. The  census  taken  in  1810  gives  20,845 
inhabitants  in  Missouri.  In  1818  St.  Louis  com- 
menced a  greater  progress  in  its  building  and  com- 
mercial enterprises.  During  that  year  more  than 
three  millions  of  bricks  were  made,  and  one  hundred 
buildings  erected.  The  first  brick  dwelling-house 
was  built  in  1813  or  '14,  by  Wm.  0.  Oarr.  The 
first  steamboat  that  ascended  the  Mississippi,  above 
the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  was  the  "  General  Pike," 
which  reached  St.  Louis  the  2d  of  August,  1817. 
It  was  commanded  by  Capt.  K.  P.  Guyard.  The 
country  above  Cedar  Creek,  a  small  stream  on  the 
western  border  of  Galloway  county,  Missouri,  which 
was  then  regarded  as  the  boundary  of  the  district — 
afterward  the  county  of  St.  Charles — was  called 
Boone's  Lick,  from  the  time  of  its  first  settlement, 
in  1797,  till  the  organization  of  the  State  Govern-  '' 
ment.  In  1808  there  was  a  small  village,  called 
Cote  Sans  Dessein,  from  a  singular  oblong  hill  in  its 

vicinity.     In  1810  a  few  enterprising  families  struck 
28 


322  EARLY    HISTORY   OF  THE 

out  into  the  wilderness,  and  formed  a  settlement  in 
what  is  now  known  as  Howard  county.  Here  were 
several  large  salt  springs  and  "Licks,"  at  one  of 
which  Daniel  Boone  had  his  hunting  camp,  and 
where  his  son,  Major  Nathan  Boone,  made  salt  as 
early  as  1807.  This  gave  name  to  the  "Lick,"  and, 
also,  to  a  large  district  of  counties.  Boone's  Lick 
settlement,  at  the  commencement  of  the  war  with 
Great  Britain,  numbered  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  families.  In  1815,  throughout  the  county  and 
town  of  St.  Louis,  the  inhabitants  numbered  9,395, 
the  town  population  alone  numbering  2,000. 

I  add  a  few  more  reminiscences  of  Chicago.  Early 
in  the  Spring  of  1834,  brother  Henry.  Whitehead 
and  Mr.  Stewart  contracted  with  Jesse  Walker  to 
build  a  small  but  commodious  house  of  worship,  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river,  on  the  corner  of  Water 
and  Clark  streets.  Father  Walker  and  the  local 
preachers  occupied  it  every  Sabbath  alternately.  In 
looking  over  the  annals  of  Methodism  found  here 
and  there  in  books,  in  my  own  experience,  and  in 
the  relation  of  the  experience  of  others  to  me,  it 
seems  as  if  God  had  sifted  the  whole  inhabited  re- 
gion of  North  America,  and  selected  the  choice 
spirits  therefrom,  with  their  iron  constitutions,  to 
plant  and  cultivate  the  tree  of  Methodism  in  the 
West.  Stevens  says :  "  We  have  often  been  reminded 
of  the  adaptation  of  Methodism,  by  some  of  its  prov- 
idential peculiarities,  for  its  self-propagation.  Its 
class  and  prayer  meetings  train  most  if  not  all  its 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  323 

laity  to  constant  practical  missionary  labors;  so  that 
three  or  four  of  these,  meeting  in  any  distant  part 
of  the  earth,  by  emigration,  are  prepared  immedi- 
ately to  become  the  nucleus  of  a  Church.  The  lay 
or  local  ministry,  borne  on  by  the  tide  of  emigra- 
tion, was  almost  every-where  found  prior  to  the  ar- 
rival of  the  regular  preacher,  ready  to  sustain  re- 
ligious services." 

The  year  1790  was  not  the  real  epoch  of  Method- 
ism in  the  United  States.  The  sainted  Barbara 
Heck,  foundress  of  Methodism  in  the  United  States, 
went  with  her  children,  it  is  probable,  into  the  prov- 
ince of  Canada  as  early  as  1774.  Mrs.  Heck  and 
her  three  sons  were  members  of  a  class  at  Augusta, 
under  the  leadership  of  Samuel,  son  of  Philip  Em- 
bury. Brother  William  Smith  has  truly  said  that 
there  were  many  pious  women  among  the  early  set- 
tlers who  were  Christian  heroines  in  the  true  sense 
of  the  word.  Having  left  their  native  State  to  ac- 
company their  husbands  to  territories  where  was 
naught  but  a  howling  wilderness,  they  have  proved 
themselves  to  be  helpmeets  for  the  men  who  braved 
the  dangers  of  a  frontier  life.  They  were  equally 
brave  in  every  moral  conflict -in  battling  for  the 
Lord.  In  singing,  what  have  they  not  done  in  con- 
gregations? I  have  often  sat  and  listened  till  my 
own  eyes,  as  well  as  those  .around  me,  were  suffused 
with  tears,  and  especially  in  prayer  circles,  when 
the  heart  of  some  mother  in  Israel  went  out  in 
irresistible  pleadings  with  her  Lord  and  Savior  for 


324  EARLY   HISTORY   OF  THE 

an  only  child  or  an  erring  husband,  as  if  every 
word  were  an  inspiration,  every  utterance  an  imme- 
diate communication  from  above,  the  language  of  the 
heavenly  host.  Indeed,  it  has  often  seemed  to  me 
as  if  woman,  as  if  the  mother  of  the  Son  of  God 
was  nearer  the  throne  in  earnest  supplications  than 
man  can  be.  And  then,  like  the  women  of  the  Bible, 
she  will  take  no  denial.  She  will  not  cease  her  im- 
portunities till  the  unclean  spirit  has  gone  out,  and 
the  soul  is  made  a  fit  temple  for  the  indwelling  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  Sometimes,  after  an  earnest  prayer, 
I  have'  known  them  to  arise  and  exhort  till  it  seemed 
like  a  visible  influence  all  over  the  house,  as  if  the 
powers  of  darkness  had  yielded,  saints  were  rejoicing, 
and  heaven  had  come  down  to  earth,  and  the  whole 
congregation  would  be  shouting  "Glory  to  God!" 
The  Presbyterian  definition  of  true  eloquence — 
namely,  shouting  and  tears,  shouting  and  fears-^ 
may  be  justly  applied  to  the  women  of  early  Meth- 
odism. But,  alas!  how  few  of  them  remain  among 
us!  I  have  followed  one  and  another  of  them  to 
their  last  resting-place,  and,  standing  by  their  dying 
beds,  have  heard  them  testify  "all  is  well,"  till 
their  voices  were  lost  in  death.  A  few  years  more, 
and  none  of  them  will  remain;  they  all  will  have 
passed  over  the  swelling  tide,  and  become  inmates 
of  the  mansion  on  high.  Though  it  may  hardly 
seem  in  place  here  to  mention  these  things,  yet  it 
has  often  seemed  to  me  such  a  cruel,  unjust  thing 
that  we  have  to  cast  so  many  unjust  slurs  upon  our 


WEST  AND   NORTH-WEST.  325 

women.  I  have  often  thought  of  these  things — the 
use  of  so  many  foul  sayings  which  are  looked  upon 
as  so  many  witticisms — such,  for  instance,  as  the  rib 
out  of  which  mother  Eve  was  formed,  denoting  her 
crooked  disposition;  that  woman  is  "all  tongue,"  be- 
cause she  is  gifted  in  conversation;  that  Mary  Mag- 
dalene had  seven  devils  cast  out  of  her,  while  they 
seem  to  forget  that  one  of  the  male  sex  possessed  a 
legion.  We  have  good  authority  for  that,  and  we 
can  not  estimate  how  many  more  possessed  the  same 
number,  for  Paul  gives  one  of  the  most  fearful,  epit- 
omes of  man's  unparalleled  wickedness;  and,  from 
his  summing  up,  one  would  think  that  man  pos- 
sessed not  only  a  legion,  but  legions.  If  our  State 
prisons  contain  more  men,  will  not  heaven  contain 
more  women?  In  either  case  it  is  a  fearful  thing 
to  believe  in  the  loss  of  a  soul. 


THE  END. 


JiFram 


i 


.  or. 


